Smile
by hawktakesflight
Summary: When a murder occurs in sleepy Snowpoint Town, six Pokemon's lives are thrown into chaos. In the aftermath of his Trainer's death, Riolu explores the town as the situation deteoriates, and might have to take matters into his own paws. Collab with Lupyne.
1. The End of The Old

**Hi everyone, lupyne here. This is the first collaboration I have ever worked on. Hawk is a great friend and author, and it's a pleasure as well as an honour to work together. I hope you enjoy the story, and I will see you at Chapter Two! (I'll do my best to get it done quick.)**

**Hello all; hawk here. This is also my first collaboration****, with lupyne: an awesome friend and writer I've had the honour of working with. While waiting for Chapter Two, please do check out his other fics, especially the ongoing **_**I Am Lucario**_**!**

**Meanwhile, please enjoy the chapter, and we hope you have a pleasant stay at Snowpoint Inn.**

_Smile_

(: :)

_Drip._

The rain patters lightly against the window planes. Dusk wraps his long cloak over the quiet town, and above him the clouds let down their soft weeping in the middle of the night. It isn't a loud downpour, the kind that set hairs on end, but a soft, soothing, melancholy rhythm with which mothers hum their children to sleep.

_Drip._

Another dot on the window pane. Usually, the Trainer would have glanced wistfully outside, whining loudly about how it was costing training time; but now all is silent. For one, the Trainer was exhausted from a long day of rest, from travelling, battling, and training his Pokémon to perfection. "The strongest Pokémon," as the Trainer would say, "is the best Pokémon."

And he would live up to that maxim by carefully nurturing his Pokémon to be the strongest.

For tomorrow they would battle again, and he would be proud of them. To see the Pokémon perform their best for him, and to taste the sweet glory that would come from winning. But even the ambitious Trainer knew one thing – it is way past midnight. The day had quickly morphed into night, settling Dusk's shadowy cloak over the snowy landscape and chanting its soft, low lullaby.

Even the Trainer needs some rest.

_Drip._

It is a serene, calm night. Outside the wind whistles an icy tune, rattling the windows of the little inn occasionally, but inside all is still and quiet. It is the end of a long day, and the Trainer takes a well-deserved rest, sprawling out upon the bed. At its foot are his Pokéballs carelessly placed, next to a crumpled up bag with the next day's clothes spilling out of it.

Worn out, the Trainer hadn't even bothered to undress. The day's stress had taken its toll on the Trainer's shoulders, throwing the body to the bed without so much as changing out of the sweat-stained clothes. Even the precious bag was carelessly flung to the side, the strap that attached the Pokéballs to it splintering and bouncing them a little across the floor.

The next battle was coming up, and rest was definitely essential.

The Pokémon certainly understood that – the Trainer had thought blearily, before being swallowed up by sleep – all sealed away in their Pokéballs, fast asleep for the night.

The Gardevoir-themed clock on the bedside table ticks, the minute hand marching forward a step in time to the soft drumbeats of rain.

_Drip._

The moon peeks behind her cover of the clouds, illuminating the room once again. Thanks to the only window in the room, there is a shaft of bright moonlight penetrating the darkness, falling across the Trainer's closed eyes.

As if awakened by it, the Trainer seemed to move a little, but it is only a trick of the shifting shadows outside. There is no sign that anyone is awake or stirring in the room. The rain hits against the pane again, as if it is a gentle visitor knocking on a door, politely asking to be let in.

Only to find that no one's home.

The Trainer's head still lolls to a side, as it always does. The Trainer's hand still hangs limply over the mattress, the tip of the fingertips dangling just a short distance from the ground.

And blood slowly seeps from them, trickling down the long fingers and collecting into small spheres at the fingertips.

_Drip._

Fascinating, the way the crimson streaked and caressed the hand as it left, condensing into little spheres that cling to the flesh, unwilling to let go. Unnatural rivers of red flow delicately from the slashes in the palm, winding all the way to the tip of the fingers. Finally, eventually, a drop loses contact, falling all ten centimeters to dash itself on the wooden ground below.

_Drip__._

_Drip._

_Splash._

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There was an uneasy movement, and then a flash of light. There's a slight feeling of nausea, but after months of bearing with it, it became less uncomfortable. An illuminating afterglow lingers in front of the eyes, gradually subsiding away, but leaving angry white circles and splotches obscuring vision.

I yawn, rubbing still-closed eyes with the back of a paw. After being rudely called out of a Pokéball, there's not much I can do, can't I? I try to stand up, stagger for a moment, before sprawling flat on the ground. Yawning, I curl back up in a ball and started drifting back to sleep, tucking my tail neatly between my hindpaws.

No point waking up so early.

Right about now, the Trainer would probably pick me by the scruff of my neck, swinging me from side to side to wake me up. Let him come, I always felt that lulled me to sleep even more. He never liked it when I fell asleep in his grip, anyway.

But right about then I hear – even though I'm half-asleep by then – more familiar sounds. Other Pokéballs being released. Hm? Is the rest of the team out also? Such questions can be answered later.

Ah, back to sleep. Hitmonlee can punch me awake later.

I hate that, but at least it gets the job done. That Pokémon can really kick off the day with energy if and when he wants to. Me, I think I prefer to stay out of his way (and legs) as far as I can. I yawn a little and curl up a little tighter, allowing sleep to slowly creep back over me. Sweet sleep, drawing up like a blanket over my tired –

"A Riolu," came a voice.

Strange. Not a familiar voice at all. Not like the Trainer's tones, but far deeper, gruffy, and also sounds like he was woken up a little too early too. My flickering Aura senses pick up traces of tiredness, emanating from a point just in front of me.

Inwardly, I grin. But I'm curious, so I pry open one eye.

The morning light blasts straight into it like it had been waiting for that chance the whole day. Which it probably had. The light burns itself into the surface of my eye before the still sleepy me could even react. I growl and quickly snap my eye shut again.

"Hey there, little fella. Wake up."

I feel a hand ruffling the fur on the top of my head. It's a kind of soothing feeling, and is surprisingly pleasant. Grudgingly, I uncurl myself, setting myself into a sitting position. Still rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I gradually open them, squinting.

I blinked. The person in front of me isn't the Trainer, but some large guy wearing a navy-blue uniform, its colour much darker and deeper than my own fur. A cap of sorts obscures half his face, but he pushes it up with a finger now, staring at me. Something about him gives off the air of someone official, but a sudden large yawn from him breaks the illusion.

_What?_ I think blankly.

In my defense, I'm still half-asleep.

Odd face. He doesn't look familiar, and for a second vague, half-familiar faces run through my mind. Trainers I had battled, the sneering look on their faces as I hit the ground for the third time – the Nurses Joy, Joy, Joy and Joy in various towns we visited, random people on the street… No. No resemblance whatsoever. Hm. New face.

My thoughts are suddenly interrupted as Navy-Blue made some movement towards me. I blink, my half-asleep mind focusing on him again.

He pushes a finger forward, as if to prod me. And he does so. He pokes me straight in my torso, as if I'm some sort of toy. Some toy! That did the trick – fully awake, I flip onto all fours, growl and bare my little fangs, the hackles on my back standing up on end; and try to bat away his finger.

Chances are that wouldn't have worked as an intimidation tactic at all. Riolus rarely can look scary. Gallade told me so the last time I tried to growl at him. Well, I can't wait to evolve and look a little bit more frightening, but at most all I can do is yelp at people and hope they look surprised.

But this time, Navy-Blue immediately snatches back his finger, keeping a close eye on me. Hey, maybe I'm getting better at this intimidation thing. I smirk a little in confidence, giving off a small snort of satisfaction.

"Cute little fella," he remarks.

Maybe not.

My tail drops, and I curl back up into a ball again. To Giratina with this, I'm going back to sleep. But as I close my eyes, this really loud and irritating noise breaks into my field of hearing. I wince – sometimes, having sensitive hearing isn't as cracked up as it appears to be.

Behind him, there was a loud middle-aged human dressed in a fittingly loud pink dress. She wails and cries for some reason or the other, stammering out words in between sobs. Pink-Dress continues to scream hysterically, sometimes clutching on Navy-Blue's shoulder.

I tilt my head. What was the matter with _her_?

"Riolu." A more familiar voice suddenly starts up by my ear, startling me. Whipping around, I tense up, but I see the Gardevoir on our team shaking her head sadly at me.

"What?" I blink. I seem to be very fond of that word today. I make a mental note to expand my vocabulary a little next time.

The Trainer had rented out a room in this inn, as part of the preparation for the strict training regimen planned out for us Pokémon. Now, I discover that I am on the table in the room, a medium-sized wooden thing. Beside me is a Pichu, the only other Pokémon small enough to sit on the table without breaking it – the rest of the team's on the floor, their heads still towering over us.

Gardevoir didn't say anything but turn her head slightly, her face pointing in the direction behind where I am. I slowly turn around, my gaze following the pink lady's trembling, pointing finger. Pichu's already staring in that direction, frozen in shock.

Turning around, I see what the commotion was for the first time in bright daylight. The bed which the Trainer had slept in had turned a ghastly red in splotches, the Trainer slumped carelessly over it. What had been a bed with random sheets thrown all over it smelled slightly of iron. A hand hung over the edge of the bed, not quite touching the ground – but directly below it was a pool of dried blood.

As the Trainer was sleeping facedown, the familiar face is hidden by the bedsheets and whatnot. However, sticking out of the back – through the ever-present jacket and all – is a long, protruding handle of a knife.

The Trainer, of course, is quite dead.

I remain silenced, feelings rising up which couldn't quite be described properly. I sit down abruptly.

"Ah."

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**Chapter One: The End of The Old**

"_We will all die. That is our fate. Goodbye."_

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After that episode, Navy-Blue had shooed us Pokémon out of the room, into a waiting police van. Apparently, from the scraps of conversation I heard, they were dumping us in some Pokémon Inn somewhere.

A police van pulls up, the back spacious enough for us six Pokémon – barely. Navy-Blue seems determined to remind us that this was no pleasure ride, never mind that it was our own Trainer who was murdered in this very room.

"Okay you, an' you an' you an' you… get in the van. All of you. Get a move on." Navy Blue grips Pichu by the collar, picking him up to put him in the back of the van. "I don't have all day, so move it, tiny."

The larger of our group of six were allowed to clamber into the van of their own accord. Hitmonlee jumps up with no difficulty at all, followed a split second later by Gallade. The latter Pokémon glares at the Fighting-type for leaping in first, but Hitmonlee strolls to the front of the van, whistling. After them, Gardevoir gracefully sweeps in, casting an exasperated glance at the two males jockeying for alpha position. She decides – wisely – to distance herself from the impending fight, settling down in the corner while watching them intently from the corner of her eyes.

And lastly, Magneton floats in lazily, completely ignoring everyone.

That left Pichu, who was arbitrarily deemed by Navy Blue to be "Too Short". Classification in this "Too Short" group, as Pichu will quickly find out, apparently grants you a complimentary picking-up-by-the-collar and a membership discount on pain.

"Hey –" Pichu weakly protests, as he was held by the scruff of his neck. "Yow, that hurts! Let go ~ " Navy Blue ignores Pichu's yells and squeaks, instead dropping him rather ungracefully into the van.

I stand at Navy Blue's feet, staring up at the edge of the van, some way off the ground. Nothing I couldn't reach with a jump. I tense my hindpaws, and bound up –

– and just when I was about to leap into the van, a pair of strong hands suddenly grasp me by the torso in mid-air. Surprised, I twist my body around, squirming out of Navy-Blue's grasp, jumping from his hands – but he regains control and grabs me by the end of my tail before I could reach the ground.

"Watch it," he growls. "You could hurt yourself, you know?"

For a second there, I pause and look at him. He looks back at me, and our eyes meet in the short moment of time. I think I could detect genuine concern from him – perhaps he was really worried? Maybe he had a Pokémon as a child, or maybe he had decided he suddenly felt sorry for us… No matter what, I imagine a twinge of affection, the first I had felt from anyone in a long time. Perhaps… he isn't so bad after all.

And then, he roughly tosses me into the van.

Nope.

My body skids across the metallic surface and hit the wall. I sit upright, feeling slightly dizzy but more confused. So much for not wanting me to hurt myself – he's doing a pretty good job of it himself. I bare my fangs at him again, but he is too preoccupied with something else to even notice.

I rub the back of my head with a paw, while Pichu had just gotten his bearings and pads over to me. "You too, huh?" he says, with a bitter smile.

I nod, then sigh. "Ah well, I got used to it."

Pichu nods too, before trying to comb down his fur that now stood on end. "So, where do you think we're headed to?" He tries to sound chirpy, as if nothing much had happened and we were being taken for a pleasant ride around town. That Pichu, always optimistic and cheerful – it was alternatively endearing and sickening.

I groan, rubbing my head. "I don't know," I shoot back. "Probably the slaughterhouse."

Pichu_ tch_ed, although a real fear creeps into his eyes. "You're j-joking," he stutters.

I see my chance, and quickly grab it. "Don't you know?" I continue, innocently, eyes staring straight into Pichu's own. The other Pokémon tries to break eye contact, but his curious nature eventually gets the better of him. He creeps slightly closer, an inquisitive yet scared spark in his eyes. "K-know? Know what?"

_CLANG_. The metallic sound of something hitting the floor of the van startles us clear out of our fur, but I try my best not to let it show through. Navy-Blue had tossed a small dog-dish of brown pellets that passed for Pokémon food, now muttering something under his breath about regulations and rules and how the last stupid Pokémon had died in a police van of starvation.

Scampering forward and ignoring Pichu's calls, I avoid Hitmonlee's legs as he moved towards the food bowl. Quickly, I grab a piece in my paws, hurrying back out before the bigger Pokémon gather around the food bowl. Narrowly avoiding Gallade, I swerve around and skid to a halt in front of Pichu.

"What?" Pichu continues, hungrily eyeing the piece of food I held in my paws. Suddenly I am aware of how hungry we all would be – having eaten nothing since yesterday afternoon, courtesy of the Trainer's strict training regimen. I wave the food in front of him a little, watching with satisfaction as his bright eyes followed the piece as it moved.

"Don't you know…?" I drop my voice to a whisper, low and mysterious. Pichu hung on, intently.

"…what Pokémon food is made of?"

Pichu stops eyeing the piece of food. I grin, and bite into it energetically, tearing a small chunk from the pellet in my jaws, chewing with obvious pleasure. Pichu turns a little green.

We all have to find enjoyment, somehow. At this moment, I'm preoccupied with enjoying the piece of Pokémon food and watching Pichu squirm a little. Like some human once said, it's the little pleasures of life that matter. Not that we had a lot of them, so I'm intending to enjoy this particular one for as long as possible.

At this moment, Gardevoir sweeps over, her feet hardly touching the ground. Crouching down beside Pichu, she runs her paw through his fur, quietly comforting him – and offering him a bit of food. She can't understand why he shrank back so – but after a couple of minutes of the electric mouse's stammering explanations, she glares at me for a second in that familiar exasperated fashion.

She then explains to us that we were going to the nearby Snowpoint Pokémon Inn, where we would be looked after and cared for until the Trainer's family came to pick us back. They would be in town for the funeral, the authorities had reasoned, and they could pick us back then.

They preferred it that way, being more traditional and not favouring electronic Pokémon sending that "them youngsters" were so fond of. And arguably because they think Pokémon shouldn't be confined to their Pokéballs most of the time. But mostly to take advantage of the free Inn services for us that the authorities had offered.

Good.

Unless you're a Porygon, digital transportation is the absolute worst. Think about that next time.

To be honest, I'm kind of looking forward to the visit to the Inn. It brings to mind faraway images of relaxation and sleep, maybe even fun and games. Actually, I'm only hoping that it might be better than listening to the Trainer drone on and on about battles and stats and movesets like some sort of geek.

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…Nope. It isn't.

In all honesty, the Pokémon Inn isn't too bad. There aren't much other Pokémon – by Mew, is Snowpoint deserted – and they give us a small mattress each. For Pichu and I, we can stretch out pretty easily and comfortably, but not so much for the much-larger Pokémon. Take that, Hitmonlee. The cocky Pokémon whined all night, tossing and turning, until Gallade had had enough and threw him out of the room.

The Innkeeper, grumbling and mumbling, finally relents and gives us each individual rooms. Not exactly first-class suites, but still. I relish the thought of actually having my own little space to myself.

The scenery outside is nice too. There is a small mountain leading to a cliff overlooking pretty much the rest of the City, plus a small forest. I would suppose that there were Pokémon in the area, but I wouldn't want to go there alone. Pichu flat out refuses to, and the rest of the bigger, more intimidating-looking Pokémon either didn't want to (Gardevoir) or didn't care (the rest of them).

And in between regular mealtimes, they allow us to roam freely.

Perhaps I put it in too nice a way – they kick us out of their doors.

According to the Innkeeper, this is what I could gather – some renovation and construction works are going on, which render the air too polluted and the environment too noisy for her delicate senses; and that the Town's mayor was a – hmm, maybe I shouldn't reproduce _that_ word – to allow all this to go on and trouble frail elderly ladies like herself.

I manage to get a sight of the construction work going on in the west wing of the Inn, heavy skeletal scaffolding and metal plates rising above the ground. The sun would shine right on them and glisten off, and if it was the red sky of sunset the entire Inn would seem to be bathed in ruby-red blood.

It's all mildly attractive. I find myself drawn to the place, with some strange fascination. Perhaps it's the newness of it all, to see a building's steel skeleton through its thin façade.

But in any case, it was deemed a "hazard" and "children and Pokémon are not allowed near it", which was interpreted as "kick Pokémon out of the Inn and only let them come back for food and at night".

Having the entire Snowpoint City to ourselves, we were supposed to wander around town and not get into trouble, with only an identification tag around our necks for protection against wandering Trainers. While it was a good thing Snowpoint wasn't bursting with Trainers – I can't help but feel a little afraid. I wasn't exactly expecting five-star hotel treatment, but this is simply ridiculous.

I keep having nightmare visions of a wandering, fresh-faced Trainer, just coming out the PokéMart and itching to try out his first batch of Pokéballs. Ah, it's a Pokémon thing – if you're not prepared, suddenly being locked away in a Pokéball no bigger than your paw – it's not a pleasant experience, mind you.

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_I wasn't always like this._

_What, you think I was born in one of them "Breeding Centers"? Filthy places, them, so I've heard from the one or two Pokémon I've happened to meet. Disgusting, the way Pokémon Trainers treat them as mere commodities, to be kept and raised like cattle. And don't get me started on the Ditto rape cases, far too many for me to count on all paws. _

_I am a proud wild-born Riolu, hatched from an egg from two Lucario parents. Native to a forest, I spent happy days rolling in the grass, begging for food, doing what it is baby Pokémon do. I guess my parents weren't half bad. But I don't remember them anymore, no more than I can remember what it like was inside an egg. Their faces are all fuzzy now, and sad to say, I wouldn't be able to distinguish them from the next Lucario on the street._

_Curious and inquisitive since birth – or so I was told – I went a-exploring on my own, not just a few weeks old. It's the call of the unknown, the adrenalin of adventure that grips every young forest Pokémon's heart._

_You could probably guess the rest of the story. Trainer comes along, challenges me to a duel, wins, takes me in under his wing and we travel across the land together. We spent quite some happy times together, sitting and laughing and admiring the sunsets, even though I might have missed my forest home, it was soon quickly forgotten in the face of the glorious future we saw before us, together._

_Only that it was more "Trainer had Hitmonlee beat an unsuspecting Riolu senseless", "Trainer locks me in a Pokéball, away from the light of day", and "Trainer drags me across the land bundled together with the rest of the Pokémon he caught"._

…_perhaps I'm being overly harsh. He may have been slightly mercenary, but he was dedicated to his job and didn't starve us. Not all the time. I remember, earlier on in our journey, he used to talk to us, kid around with us, hug us (just not Hitmonlee). I remember him putting his hands on my shoulders and saying something encouraging. Something like "You'll be a strong Pokémon one day!" or something of that sort, meant to encourage._

_It was training all day, all night with him. He really did seem to want us to be strong, tough Pokémon. Quite some memories that I still remember from our training sessions – the various training techniques he put us through, the late nights trying to stay awake throughout his droning… I guess that life is kind of behind us right now, for some reason._

_Oh yes. I remember now. He's dead._

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Anyway. Back to the topic – being able to run around town without restraint was rather unexpected and beneficial. We all get to explore the city in greater degree than the Trainer would ever allow. All in all, I'd rate it above having to listen to the Trainer's lectures, which were in turn only slightly above stealing a Kangaskhan baby from its mother.

Magneton disappears after we left the Inn grounds, presumably to want to distance himself from the rest of us. I sense a brief wave of indifference from him as we walked out of the Inn, but that's only to be expected. I never actually see him interact with anyone else in the team, just remaining aloof, alone, and somehow above it all.

The fact that he floats probably helped.

Meanwhile, back at the Inn Gates, I stretch out on all fours, sniffing the air a little. Opportunities were endless! But out of the corner of my eye, I spy two familiar figures emerge from the Inn. Gallade turns to Gardevoir, the light wind whipping through his short fur.

To keep up his tough-Pokémon image, Gallade appears to have recovered from the loss of the Trainer pretty quickly, though I can't say he was very attached to him in the first place. I try to perceive his emotions, but it's early in the morning and I'm tired, so that naturally fails.

"How about we take a walk down at the park?" he says. Gardevoir smiles a little in response, floating in step with the Fighting-type's.

Nodding, Gallade leads the way down the street, Gardevoir following at his side. I hurry over to where they are, drifting down the road together. Snowpoint Park's a little-known park, nowhere near the lush greenery of the famous ones – but apparently, with the wind slowly floating through, it's a very serene, secluded, and _romantic_ location. It's pretty obvious that Gallade isn't bringing Gardevoir there to _train_.

I grin a wolfish grin, tiredness forgotten. My afternoon just got booked.

Creeping along on all fours, I make my way slowly after the retreating duo. I shoot quick glances around the area, plotting out a route in the shadows. Not for the first time, I'm glad for my padded paws, placing one of them gingerly in front of the other. No sound whatsoever. Good. Because, all it would take is one wrong move, and Gallade would be stomping on my tail faster than I could say –

"Riolu!"

…oh boy.

A quick _patter-patter_ of feet tells me Pichu's scampering out of the Inn grounds. I didn't wait any longer, but quickly start to run off, trying to pretend I was deaf, or that something got stuck in my ear. He didn't seem to get the hint, closing the distance between us fast and easily keeping pace. I give a soft resigned sigh, then turn to glare briefly at him.

"Hey, Riolu," he whispers, a playful smile appearing on his lips. "Them two are getting up to something… I saw them take moonlight walks last week, Gallade sharing his food, and now this." He chuckles rather loudly, scampering beside me on all fours.

Not anything I couldn't find out through my Aura senses, or just by _looking_ at them. I have the overwhelming urge to roll my eyes, but I hold it in, shooting him a withering glare instead. The glare bounces off the back of Pichu's fur, as the little mouse Pokémon continues to grin and giggle at the loving duo in front of us, whispering and chattering a little too loudly for my liking.

I glare at Pichu once more. Once again, intimidation fails me. I swear to Arceus, once I evolve…

Out of the edge of my peripheral vision, I notice with a start that the duo had come to a stop several paces ahead. I slam on my brakes hard, skidding to a stop on all fours as my forepaws burn themselves against the dirt path. Ignoring the pain, I reach out and grab Pichu by the tail as he hurtles past, dragging him backwards, forcing him to come to a stop beside me.

To tell the truth, it was more just to pull Pichu's tail than to prevent him from scampering into Gallade's legs, but if I didn't do it Gallade would have pounded us both into the ground. So I take it as a job I have to do, with a certain element of fun in it, as a bonus. Oh yeah, Gallade – the mere thought of the Pokémon immediately brings me back to the situation at paw –

"Shh," I motion, glancing in front. "They'll hear you."

True enough, the more hearing-sensitive Gardevoir turns around, the surprised Gallade halting in mid-step. There's a slight smile on her face, but I could detect some embarrassment emanating from her quite clearly. "Hey, you two."

Pichu stops fidgeting; obviously embarrassed as well that his cover was so quickly blown. "Hullo." He waves sheepishly.

Before I could say anything, Gallade turns back, his eyes flitting past Pichu and landing on me. His face hardened – obviously, he must not like Pokémon that were too much shorter than himself. He stares at each of us in turn, and I am not sure he wasn't using his psychic powers to root us to the ground where we stood.

Eventually he straightens up, dismissively waving a paw in our direction. "Get back, runts; scram."

"But I want to go to the park, too," I defiantly stand my ground, my hackles suddenly rising. Even though he was one of the Trainer's most powerful Pokémon, I found Gallade simply overbearing at times – and it didn't seem to be getting better anytime now. Tch. Who killed the Trainer and made him boss?

Oh, wait.

Gallade suddenly lunges at me, arm blades extended, coming within a couple of inches from my snout. Surprised, I dropped on all fours, ears pressed down. At first, he looks as if he's going to launch into an attack, and I mentally brace myself for impact. I am not exactly the strongest Pokémon around, and a powerful blow from Gallade would probably both knock me out _and_ knock me out of the park.

Instead of feeling his fist on my muzzle, I feel his breath against my fur. "Get lost," he growls. I quickly look around – Pichu had quickly scampered off at Gallade's outburst, leaving me alone with a Gallade who evidently got out of the wrong side of the Pokéball. His blade gleams in the soft sunlight, dangerous, while his eyes are steeled and determined in his single wish to get me out of his sight.

_So much for being a gentlemanly Po__kémon._ I think.

"What did you say?" growls Gallade, his voice suddenly soft and dangerous. The Psychic Pokémon towers over me, glaring at me with one eye, seemingly boring into my very thoughts.

Oh, Arceu-

"N – nothing," I stammer.

"Gallade," a far more pleasing voice drifts to our ears, gently reprimanding the Psychic-type. Gallade takes his eyes off of me for a second to turn to Garvedoir, and I leap at the chance – turning tail and running away on all fours, the metal tag beating against my torso. I catch sight of Pichu's silhouette, disappearing around the corner the opposite way from the park. I make a mental note to deal with Pichu later.

Scampering up a nearby tree without any trouble, I peer out from the cover of the leaves. Gallade stared around for a while, looking for me. Eventually, Gallade gave up, not even bothering to use his Psychic-abilities to root me out, before glaring in the general direction which I had left. I scowl at him, baring my fangs. Hey, intimidation requires practice, okay? It's all I can do now.

I hear Gardevoir's voice dying away, lightly scolding Gallade in a way that a lover would playfully scold her partner for not accepting a kiss. I hear Gallade laugh it off, and so did she, as they both carry on walking, out of sight.

I sigh. Ah well, what can I say? Gallade's a lot more complex than anyone makes him out to be.

After Gallade and Gardevoir rounded the corner and disappeared from sight, I naturally follow. I patter after them on all fours, not making a sound, grateful to have no loud and chirpy electric mouse to mess things up this time. As they near the Snowpoint Park, more trees dotted the landscape, rivaling even that of the forest near the Inn. They did make it much easier to hide amongst the tree trunks, observing the two lovebirds from afar.

I hide behind a tree, flattening myself against the ground. Conveniently, a large tree root blocks most of my body, allowing me to remain hidden. All that can be seen of me are the tips of my ears, just poking out from behind cover.

It's enough.

I strain a little to listen, but find that the words come easily enough into my mind. Occasionally, I sneak a peek at the two Pokémon, and catch glimpses of those two interlocking paws.

Suddenly, I discern Gardevoir's emotions, spilling out of her in a controlled stream. While on the outside she looks calm, on the inside she feels conflicted. There's the undeniable taste of happiness that came around whenever Gallade showed up (though why would she fall for him, I have no idea).

But mixed in with that comes some other emotion, some sort of apprehension, and sadness.

Gallade's too blind with her to notice those emotions. Unlike him, she couldn't get past the Trainer's death that easily. And unlike him, I had seen the look on her face when she first saw the bloody body. And unlike him, I sense the uncomfortable feelings she had emanating from her now.

And now Gallade was bringing her out, the day after the murder, for a nice romantic stroll amongst the wintry park.

Back in the real world, Gardevoir still manages to smile at her lover, slipping her other paw into his. Gallade leans closer and whispered something into her ear, causing her to blush a little and pull back, playfully giving him a light slap across his face. Gallade laughed it off, proceeding to whisper her sweet nothings, every word of which my ears unfortunately picked up.

For the reader's sake, they will not be reproduced here. Be glad.

In the end, Gallade walks Gardevoir back to the Inn, and I, slowly, agonizingly, follow them, winding all the way through the town. Having stayed in a crouching position for what seemed like hours on end, my back was aching when I try to stand upright, much less walk the long, scenic route back.

For the entire excursion, I'm no better off, though I now would know exactly how to charm Gardevoir if ever I need to, hah.

The distant ringing of the Snowpoint City Hall's bells count the time, and with a sudden pain I realise we're late for dinner. Trailing behind the two Pokémon, I see them walk past the gate, paw-in-paw, before the grumpy Innkeeper draws the iron gates shut with a slam, muttering about Pokémon which were not punctual.

Twenty seconds too late, I patter up to the gates, feebly hammering on it. It makes quite the clanging noise, but the old Innkeeper tries to shush me with a paw, waddling back inside while murmuring about wild Pokémon, closing the door behind her with a dull thud.

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SCREEEEEEEEEE.

Slowly I woke up, my head feeling heavier than it had ever been. Shaking it experimentally, the whole lot of snow that accumulated on it falls away in clumps, causing me to yelp involuntarily. I was curled up, right outside the gates of the Inn, and snow had decided to fall that night, half-burying me in a icy blanket of white.

Well, I appreciate the gesture.

The grating sound reminds me why I woke up. It's slightly past dawn, the new day's sun peeking out over the City. The snowfall welcomes the sunlight, making it shimmer with unearthly colours. But more importantly for me, the grating noises mean the gates to the Inn were opening.

Yawning, I shake the rest of the snow off my fur, and pad into the Inn on all fours, too tired to stand upright. I stumble into the Inn, eyes half-closed, relying on smell alone to get to the cafeteria. Suddenly, the dry, tasteless Pokémon biscuits they distributed didn't sound half bad. As I turn the corner, I only wish that I could get there before –

_Whumpf_.

I roll over a couple of times, head over tail, before slamming back first into a wall and coming to a halt. As I sit there, rubbing the back of my head with a paw, a shadow slowly falls over me. Looking up, I see a familiar face, and groan.

Whatever legendary Pokémon governs luck must hate me.

"Aww. Did de poor widdle Wiolu knock his head?" Hitmonlee purrs with mock concern. I would have replied _Yesh, de poor widdle Wiolu did – no thanks to you,_ but that would have probably earned me a one way ticket to whichever faraway region Hitmonlee kicked me to. Instead, I opt to snarl, racing past him on all fours, leaving the bemused Pokémon chuckling to himself behind.

I hurriedly scoff down a couple of biscuits, palming a few berries to satisfy my thirst later. But more importantly, my mind's on my quarry. Where is she? Is she still in the Inn? Any minute now, the idiot Innkeeper would –

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CLANG.

– throw us out again. Perfect.

"…and come back only at lunch! …damned Pokémon, stupid job, rhubarb mumble mumble." The old woman shuffles back inside, closing the door with a _thud_ of finality.

Luckily enough, I had managed to catch sight of Gardevoir as she left the grounds. Gallade, surprisingly, wasn't by her side – although it was very easy to find out where he was. Hitmonlee had decided to pick a fight with the alpha Pokémon of the pact, and while the fighting was going on, everyone else stayed far, far away.

I shrug, taking this opportunity to scamper close to Gardevoir.

…this isn't what it looks like.

Gardevoir is renowned amongst us as a skilled Psychic-type Pokémon. It's been said that she occasionally receives visions of the past, or of the future – thanks to some moveset she's got. Somehow the Trainer managed to get it to work out for her, and she is now endowed with this ability.

She wasn't fully able to control it, however. This led to much frustration on both the Trainer and Gardevoir's part. But still, it meant that she had access, somehow, to the past, and to the future –

– and if there's anyone who could throw light upon the mystery, it would be her.

Did she see the murderer? Might she have had a vision? Might she – I shake my head clear, noticing her moving nearly out of sight, along the snowy path to the forest. Her body winks out of sight occasionally, hidden behind trees. I start, blinking my eyes rapidly. I can't lose sight of her!

I quickly race after her, still on all fours, panting slightly. Each puff of breath becomes a small cloud, floating up and obscuring my vision. To make matters worse, the heavens open up again and snow starts to fall – lightly at first, but I know it will soon turn heavy in no time.

Far away I heard young Pokémon scream in delight at the snow, but I think I heard another strange yelp. I halt, the blood suddenly rushing to my head and making me dizzy. I clamp my paws to my head, trying to get it clear – but I suddenly freeze when I see the sight in front of me.

Gardevoir.

She's locked in the exact same position as me, paws to her head as if she's suffering a terrible migraine. Her body shivers, and she was the very picture of a vulnerable, ill Pokémon if not for one fact.

Blue. Her eyes cast a soft blue glow, tearing out from within. It isn't bright enough to illuminate the surroundings, but it drowns out her pupils and iris, leaving her eyes an eerie patch of glowing cerulean-blue.

A vision. She's having a vision.

She whispers something, her voice hoarse. For the first time in my entire life, I have never seen her so shaken, not even when she was staring the Trainer's corpse dead in the eye. Her paw grasps at open air, trying to hold on to something she couldn't feel. A single spot of moisture escapes from her eyes, falling almost unseen and melting into the snowy ground below.

Did she see who did it?

I step forward a little, then hesitated and took two steps back. Waves of horror and fear were evidently pouring out of her – even without my limited Aura abilities, a Pokémon could discern the fearful emotions etched clearly across her face, as clear as day.

And as suddenly as it happened, it's over.

She remains bent for a while more, before straightening up a little, still grasping her knees with her paws. Her breaths come in deep, emotional pants, as if she had just run miles to escape from hungry Houndoom. But while her eyes had dimmed back to their natural state, the indescribable emotion still remains written on her face.

Her neck snaps up, and her eyes meet mine.

And the next thing I know, I find myself suddenly wrapped in her embrace, as she hugs me so tight I feel as though the breath would have been crushed out of me. I yelp a little, squirming in her grasp as I did with Navy-Blue, but her grip was stronger and born out of desperation and despair.

Finally, awkwardly, I hug her back, my little paws not quite reaching all the way around her. "Gardevoir? You… had a vision?" My voice sounds tinny and high, nervous. As if I'm trying to comfort her, trying to take care of a new hatchling that had a particularly bad nightmare.

"Did you… see the murderer?" At the question, I feel Gardevoir's head shake violently, although her head's still pressed against me in our crushing hug. Thoughts quickly race through my mind, until I become quite faint from the thinking. If she didn't see the murderer…

"It's not over," her voice suddenly comes through, soft and broken. I simply stare as I blankly return her hug. She continues, sobbing softly into my little shoulder. "It's not over yet."

Behind the both of us, the dawn sun rises ever-so-slightly higher, casting a bloody red glow over all of Snowpoint City.


	2. Step into the Sky

**This chapter is written by lupyne, and is reproduced here with permission.**

"It's not over yet…" Gardevoir mumbles again, and I gently push myself away from her tight embrace so as to look her in the face. Admittedly, I'm not too sure what she's talking about, but the fear she is emanating coupled with the tone of her voice is enough to send chills down my spine.

"What do you mean, Gardevoir?" I ask, failing to keep my voice from trembling slightly. She doesn't reply; instead, a distant look crosses her features as she wraps me into an embrace again. I can sense that something is terribly wrong, and I refuse to be ignored. "What did you see? Come on, tell me!"

At this, she releases me from her grip and straightens up, wiping away the tears leaking from her eyes. "Tell me," I urge again.

Finally, she relents. "I had a vision…"

"Yeah, I figured as much. What exactly did you see? What do you mean when you said that it's not over yet?"

She gazes around for a moment, apparently checking if anyone is eavesdropping. "Th–the murderer," she begins amidst her sobs.

"What about the murderer?" I ask, becoming increasingly perplexed by the second. "You know who killed our Trainer?" I say, taking a step backwards from her and looking around frantically as well to check our surroundings – but of course, we are alone. I've already made sure of that before I approached her. I must say that Gardevoir's paranoia is very infectious; I'm feeling extremely jittery as well. I turn back to face her. "But I asked you earlier if you saw the killer – and you shook your head."

"No… G–Gallade… he…"

"Gallade's the murderer?" I ask, completely baffled. Though I never liked the guy, it's hard to imagine him as the culprit behind our Trainer's killing. However, she shakes her head again, a little irritably this time, and I think I can sense a little bit of indignation coming from her. No doubt because I had thought, even for a second, that perfect little Gallade was the murderer. "What then? Speak properly, please – I cannot understand you like this!"

"The murderer is going after Gallade next!" she yells suddenly, causing me to startle.

She quickly dissolves into tears again, and I pause, stunned by the revelation. So the murderer is going after Gallade next? I'm not too sure what to think of this – frankly speaking, my mind is in a whirl right now. "Gardevoir, calm down and tell me exactly what it was that you saw, please…"

She wipes away her tears and takes a deep breath, studying me intently. The way Gardevoir is scrutinising me makes me feel as though she's deciding if she should divulge her information. After a while, I ask, "What, you don't trust me?"

"It's not that," she says, managing a faint smile. "I just… don't know what to think anymore… I don't want Gallade to die…"

"Don't worry… you never know, your vision might not come to pass," I say reassuringly. Well, it is true that Gardevoir's premonitions were not always accurate, but deep down I know that they were right more often than not. Judging by the sceptical look on her face, I can tell that she does not place much faith in my words either. "Just tell me your vision, and we will think of something, okay?"

At last, she nods and begins to talk. "I saw Gallade running through the trees frantically… I – I think he was being chased by someone. There were a couple of times when he yelled out my name," she says chokingly.

"He called out for you?" I ask, pondering this statement. "But… this would mean that you were somewhere around the area too, wouldn't it?"

"I don't know. Gallade was the only one I saw in the vision."

"I see. What happened next?"

"Well… he ran for quite some time, and his pursuer never did catch up. But then he reached a clearing… there was a cliff…" she says, a distant look appearing in her eyes as she apparently replays the scene in her mind. "He then ran forward to the edge, and… and…"

"Go on," I urge, noticing that she seems to be on the verge of breaking down again. "What happened next?"

"He jumped off…" she says, her voice coming out in a small whisper. "He jumped to his own death…"

She begins to sob, and I pat her arm, not being tall enough to reach her shoulder. Though I know I should try to console her somehow, my mind is still lingering on her revelation. It is vague, and there are several parts which just make no sense.

"Gardevoir… why would Gallade jump off a cliff?" I try to reason. "Since the murderer didn't appear in your vision, Gallade must have outrun whoever it was – thus, he was already safe!"

"It's not like I was able to see the entire scene clearly…" she argues back. "My field of vision is quite limited, and the murderer could very well be in close proximity."

"Well, okay, but if the murderer was really after him, he would fight back, wouldn't he? Gallade's not one to run away – or give up and hurl himself off the cliff. In fact… are you even sure that he's being chased?" It strikes me a little bit odd that she would assume there _was_ a murderer, seeing as Gallade had been the only one in the vision. "You don't think he would have… you know… committed suicide?"

"Gallade would never do that! The murderer is involved, I'm sure! Maybe he knew it was hopeless – maybe the murderer had a gun or something – I don't know!" she yells, causing me to recoil in fear. Noticing this, her expression softens, and she buries her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, Riolu, but I'm just so worried… It's bad enough that we lost our Trainer… I don't want anything to happen to Gallade…"

I walk a little closer, though still maintaining a small distance lest she snaps again. "Hey, don't fret yourself over it, all right? It's just a vision… there's still a chance that it might not come true. Besides, all you got to do now is keep Gallade away from the cliffs, and he'll be fine!"

At this, she lowers her hands and stares at me with a hopeful look in her eyes. "That's true… I just have to keep a close eye on him; be with him at all times…"

"Exactly! I'll help if you want me to – uh… just the 'keeping an eye on him' part, mind you. I don't think he'll like it much if I hang around all the time."

She laughs a little, rubbing the top of my head. "Thank you. Do you think I should tell Gallade so that he can be on his guard?"

I pause, unsure how to answer the question. I don't want Gardevoir to hold me accountable should Gallade end up dying… "It _might _be better to warn him," I begin slowly. "But… now, don't take this the wrong way, but he'll probably laugh it off and even go against your words just to prove you wrong. Gallade can be a little stubborn… remember all those times when he would defy the Trainer's wishes, insisting on battling Pokémon who had a type advantage against him so that he can try to overcome his weaknesses?"

"But the Trainer himself _wants_ Gallade to conquer his limitations," Gardevoir argues; I've a feeling she just didn't like me badmouthing her lover. "In fact, most of Gallade's training sessions involved building up his resistance to Ghost- and Flying-type attacks, as well as improving his evasion. And all that training does pay off."

"Yes," I say, feeling slightly exasperated. "But whenever our Trainer is battling another human, his first choice would usually be Magneton if the opponent is a Ghost- or Flying-type, since higher stakes such as cash or badges are involved. However, Gallade would push his way to the battlefield, and it has cost us a number of battles, in case you forgot."

Her expression changes to one of annoyance. "Maybe he has lost sometimes, but you still hold the record for most losses in the team."

I gape at her, stunned and hurt. My patience wearing thin, I fold my arms and turn around in a huff. "I was only trying to help, but fine, I see that I am not appreciated."

Waves of guilt begin to pour out of the Psychic-type behind my back, and I turn my head slightly so that I can watch her from the corner of my eye. To my surprise, she is walking up to me, and before I know it, I'm being picked up by her arms. "Hey – what are you doing? Put me down!"

She spins me around to face her. "Riolu, I'm so sorry… I didn't mean that, of course…"

"Well… all right… I understand that you're upset and all after that vision… Must be nice having a lover who would defend you no matter what," I grumble to myself, not bothering to lower my voice. I then realise that I'm still hanging a few feet off the ground. "Can you put me down now?"

As she places me back on the ground, I ask, "What were we talking about again?"

"We were talking about whether or not to let Gallade know about my vision. And I know that you think he is stubborn, but I disagree. This is a matter of life and death; I'm sure he'll take my warning seriously."

"If you say so. You're his girlfriend after all – you know him best."

"Exactly. I'm his girlfriend, and therefore, he _will _listen to me." She gives a forced smile as she adds, with a tone of finality, "After all this talk about his flaws, you're forgetting one thing: _I _am his biggest weakness."

It's quite apparent that she is only trying to lighten the mood – perhaps to placate me after that insult – but I can't help grinning along. "I guess you're right about that. Fine then – warn him, and make sure he doesn't go and do anything foolish."

Gardevoir stares at me for a second, seemingly aware about how I'm still hinting that suicide is a possible explanation behind her vision. I quickly add in, "Anyway, when did your vision take place?"

"I'm not sure when exactly, but I believe it's the near future… I fear that it may be one of these days…"

"No, that's not what I meant – I was asking if it took place in the night or day?"

"Oh." She closes her eyes as she seemingly tries her hardest to recall. "I… I don't know…"

My eyes narrow slightly at her words. "Couldn't you see if it was dark or light in your vision?"

"You've never had these visions – you wouldn't understand," she says. There is a slight edge to her voice, and I know I'm treading on thin ice again. She is extremely touchy today – understandably so, perhaps, but I wish she wouldn't bite my head off over every single remark I make.

I nod, deciding not to pursue the subject. However, there's another dreadful thought which has been lingering in the back of my mind for some time now. "You know… if the murderer is going after Gallade… do you think he or she will aim for the rest of us next?"

"Well… let's hope not. The police are already investigating the Trainer's death. They'll catch the perpetrator soon." The confident look on Gardevoir's face does not match the nervousness she is emanating. "All the same, maybe we should warn the others to be on the lookout as well."

"You think that's a good idea?" I ask doubtfully. "Gardevoir… what if the murderer is someone from our team?"

She falls silent at my statement. Judging by her expression, it seems that the same thought has crossed her mind before. The fear must have shown on my face, for she places her arms around me in a hug once more. "Don't worry," she whispers as I return the embrace. "We'll pull through, just you watch."

She lets go, staring at me in the eyes with her paws still on my shoulders. "In the meantime… let's just keep this between the three of us: Gallade, you, and I."

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**Chapter Two: Step into the Sky**

"_From where I stand, everything dissolves to white._"

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After the conversation with Gardevoir, we walk back to the Inn – we aren't allowed inside, of course, seeing as the workers have resumed their construction, and we pesky Pokémon will only get in the way. As though any of us would want to interfere anyway – well, Magneton might… _he _seems to be expressing an interest at all the work going on, floating outside the gates while gazing wistfully at the iron beams and construction tools placed at the side. I suppose I can relate though. A little.

Gallade is with Magneton, though he seems to be looking around for something else – a certain _someone_ who is currently walking besides me. Upon catching sight of his beloved, he runs forward, with Gardevoir doing the same. They meet halfway, locking their paws and strolling off like a pair of overgrown magnets stuck together.

And now I have the whole day to myself again! Freedom is so sweet. Let's see… what would a Riolu like me want to do? I guess I could've followed the lovers, but there really is no point in that anymore. For one, I don't think I can stomach all the saccharine nonsense spewing out from their mouths anymore. Secondly, Gallade wouldn't be too happy if I intrude in on their 'together' time. I know I promised Gardevoir that I'll keep watch on him, but she's with Gallade now. He may be a big baby, but one babysitter is enough, I figure.

And thirdly, I've got what I was looking for. I knew Gardevoir would have a vision, which is the reason why I kept a close eye on her the past day. It turned out different from what I expected though – instead of seeing who murdered our Trainer, she saw Gallade leaping to his death…

Though I have suggested it earlier, I find myself agreeing with Gardevoir after all: Gallade is not one to commit suicide. But it's still so strange… she had been so sure that he was being chased by somebody, and yet, Gallade was the only one she saw. She did mention that Gallade had yelled her name a few times though…

And what does that signify? Perhaps Gardevoir was the chaser, though I see no reason why she would do so… unless Gallade is cheating on her, heh. Or maybe Gallade was pursuing _her_ instead – that would make so much more sense. But why? I suppose it's possible that the murderer was after her, and that Gallade was only trying to save his girlfriend. What if Gardevoir then fell off the cliff, and like an ending out of a tragic romance story, Gallade decided to join her, unified in death?

A different thought then occurs to me. What if _Gallade _is the one who wanted to kill Gardevoir for some reason?

I look into the distance, trying to find signs of the couple, but they are no longer in the vicinity. Perhaps leaving them alone isn't such a good idea after all.

Ah well… I can only hope that they know how to take care of themselves. After all, today's pretty much a holiday and I don't intend to spend all of it worrying about the duo. I want to have fun!

"I wonder if they would mind me moving a little closer to watch," a monotonous voice says, breaking the silence and causing me to startle. I've quite forgotten that Magneton is still here.

I sidle a little closer, gripping the metallic fence with my paws as I follow the electric-type's gaze to the construction workers, who are now carrying some iron rods into the incomplete section of the building.

"I'm sure they wouldn't care as long as you don't disturb them."

"Really?" he asks, radiating the slightest bit of happiness. "That is great. I will go on over then."

"Hey, wait –"

But Magneton has already floated over the lower section of the gate and into the Inn's compound with ease – though being able to perform Magnet Rise probably helped. He then moves swiftly towards the construction area. He lowers himself slightly, hovering above a worker who is bending down to pick up some of the tools scattered around. The man soon straightens up, his hardhat making a dull _clunk _as he bumps into the Pokémon.

Spinning around in surprise, he finds himself staring eye-to-eye with Magneton before yelling in shock and rage. I cover my eyes as the man begins to swing his hammer around at the Electric-type, but an angry buzzing alerts me to the fact that Magneton is now hovering over to me quickly, bits of electricity crackling around his body. "Riolu…!"

Whoops, that's my cue.

I turn tail and run as fast as I can – Magneton is not hot-tempered or ruthless like Gallade or Hitmonlee, but hey, better to play it safe, right?

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When the gates open again for lunch, I run into the inn after confirming that Hitmonlee and Magneton are not around. In fact, not a single one of the team is there – though I did spot Navy-Blue, the officer in charge of our Trainer's murder case, talking with the innkeeper. He nods briefly when he sees me. Well, at least he has the decency to acknowledge my presence.

I didn't linger for long, quickly grabbing as much food as I can before running out again, not wanting to stumble into any of the rest.

And now, I am wandering around town aimlessly. I find myself walking along the row of shops near the outskirts of the town. I remember seeing them as I shadowed Gardevoir and Gallade the day before. The only difference is that I'm no longer in a hurry, so I can actually take the time to check out what sort of stuff they are selling here.

Of course, I have no money, so the most I can do is stare longingly at an item until someone buys it for me out of pity.

… Yeah, I can dream.

One of the shops that catches my eye is the little corner store selling Technical Machines. I've been to one before, in Veilstone City. To be more precise, it was just a small section at the department store, but it was pretty impressive nonetheless. The Trainer had brought us all to see if there were any useful TMs which would aid us in battles.

Staring at the window display, I find myself reminiscing of that time so long ago…

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_I look up at all the cases on display at the rack, each and every one of them promising a new ability within its fanciful packaging. This is all so exciting – I wonder what sort of TM the Trainer would buy for me today… Of course, that would depend on what moves he purchases for the others as well, since we have to integrate as a team and cover all aspects of Pokémon battling._

_Standing besides me, Pichu is going wild with excitement – getting a new move is a big deal for him, because he only has one attack which actually deals damage, and that is ThunderShock. His other moves involve status infliction, such as the paralysing Thunder Wave. As a result, he's never used much in battles. Poor guy._

_At the corner, the Trainer is currently pulling out some boxes from the rack and showing them to Gallade. Of course, of course, Gallade would be the first to get his new abilities. Great – that'll only boost his ego more. Meanwhile, Gardevoir is standing closely, listening in on their conversation. She's been hanging around Gallade quite often lately… hm…_

"_All right, it's decided then!" the Trainer exclaims after a while, holding up two boxes. "You'll be getting Psychic and Focus Punch." He pulls out a paper from his pocket and skims it briefly. "Together with your old moves, Leaf Blade and Night Slash, this makes you the perfect Pokémon to go against Ground-, Psychic-, Fighting- and Poison-types."_

_With Gallade done, the Trainer moves over to Hitmonlee, who is apparently furious because Gallade had went first. Well, it's none of my concern. Hm, maybe I should start picking out some of the TMs that I want now. If only they didn't place all these boxes up so high… how do they expect their customers to reach the products?_

"_For you, Hitmonlee, I'll get Stone Edge and… uh," the Trainer flips one of the boxes he is holding over and reads the description printed on the back. "Yeah, I'll get you Poison Jab as well. They will go well with your Blaze Kick and Close Combat. This means that you'll be the one who handles Fire, Bug, Steel, Grass and Ice, okay?"_

_I watch in amusement as Hitmonlee begins counting on his fingers the number of types which the Trainer said he would go against in battles. Apparently realising that his total is higher than Gallade's, he begins to laugh, throwing a triumphant look at the Blade Pokémon. He'll probably be lording it over Gallade for days._

"_All right, Magneton, your turn…" The Trainer peers down at his paper again as Magneton floats over to him lazily, looking uninterested. "Actually, come to think of it, your Zap Cannon and Magnet Bomb are enough – you are great against Water- and Flying-types, and resistant to so many elements as well… yeah, you're perfect the way you are."_

_Magneton does not seem upset at all that he's not getting a new move. Instead, he hovers towards the neighbouring section, where all sorts of electronics are being sold. The television on display begins to show static as he approaches, and the staff in charge runs forward to chase Magneton away._

_Gardevoir is next – Gallade seems to be pointing out TMs which would suit her, but the Trainer ignores all his suggestions. In the end, a Shadow Ball is chosen for her, in the hopes that it will help her hold her ground against Ghost-types._

_With that, it's finally down to me and Pichu. The Trainer walks over to me, and I realise that I've yet to choose a single TM. Before I know it, I find myself being picked off the ground and into the Trainer's arms. _

"_And what shall I get for you today?" He scans through the boxes on the rack, and I look up at his face, wondering what is on his mind. "I have actually planned out your move-set, but most of the moves you'll only be able to learn after you evolve…"_

_He puts me back on the floor as he studies his paper once more. Pichu comes to me, apparently curious as to what is going on, and I shrug. Finally, the Trainer slips the paper back into his pocket and kneels down so that our eyes are at the same level. "Well, Riolu, I think it is best if we wait a little before buying a TM for you. As you have yet to evolve, you can't learn them anyway…" He ruffled the fur on my head a little. "You understand, don't you?"_

_I nod, smiling a little. Of course, I'm a little disappointed, but I don't have a choice if he has it all planned out. All I got to do is wait until I evolve. I watch as he attends to Pichu next. The Electric-type looks offended when the Trainer begins to talk about his current "pathetic move-set", but gets all excited again when the Trainer decides to get an Iron Tail for him._

_Pichu and I, we are quite similar. Until we evolve, we are nobodies._

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My move-set is rather plain, actually, and not really useful in battles. I'm able to do Force Palm and Reversal, but if it was a Fighting-type the Trainer wanted, he would always pick Hitmonlee over me, what with him being more experienced and powerful. Copycat is another move in my arsenal, but I usually get knocked out before I can even use it. I'm also capable of performing a Quick Attack, but it barely does damage…

The Trainer has already told me about his long-term plans. If there is one thing our team desperately needs, it's a Pokémon who can handle Dragon, Ghost and Electric enemies. I am proud to say that this Pokémon is me…

Or at least, it would be, if only I evolve. Yes, that was what he told me. As a Riolu, I'm unable to learn Dragon Pulse, Dark Pulse, and goodness knows what other type of pulses there are – I wasn't really paying attention to him anyway. "You'll be a strong Pokémon someday." Those were the only words that really stuck to me, but sometimes, I find myself wondering.

Ah… it's not like me to get so sentimental.

Snapping out of my reverie, I notice that there is a little machine which emits a chime whenever someone walks into the store – but the sensor must have been placed pretty high up, because it does not make a sound as I enter. Perhaps I am being overly sensitive, but I can't help feeling a little offended by that.

Pushing my way through the legs of the much-taller people lingering around the entrance, I gaze up at the high shelves in which the Technical Machines are placed. A poster is pasted next to each of the TMs, with photos of Pokémon using the moves as well as a description and type-effectiveness chart.

Though it does seem as though the store offers quite a variety of TMs, there's one problem – a majority of the goods are placed quite high. It seems that this is a problem persisting in stores everywhere. Someone really should complain. Refusing to let my short stature get in my way, I drag a small crate from the corner and push it against the shelf.

Had the storekeeper been watching, I'm sure I would be reprimanded. As it is, the man is busy typing into a computer at the counter, which is situated at the other end of the store and behind several shelves that hide me from view. So yes, I'm quite safe. I'm sure none of the customers would notify him that a harmless little Riolu is shifting a crate around anyway.

I climb up onto the makeshift platform and rest my paws on one of the shelf's ledges, marvelling at the various boxes on display there.

Oh, how I would love to get my paws on one of these – the posters on this particular section show a Pikachu launching a Thunder attack on a wooden dummy, a Blaziken reducing another one to splinters with Brick Break, a rock wall collapsing due to Earthquake, a Dugtrio burrowing into the ground, and –

"Heya, Riolu!"

The voice causes me to almost fall off the crate. I spin around to find myself looking at Pichu, who is now attempting to climb atop my platform to join me. "No, wait – I'm not sure if this will support us both." I hop down onto the floor and stare at him, wondering when he came into the store. I guess the sensor at the entrance must have missed him as well. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugs, glancing around the store lazily. "I dunno – probably the same reason you're here."

"What, you're here to apply for a job as well?"

Pichu's eyes widen as he gapes at me. "You're planning to work here?"

It is now official: Pichu believes just about anything. "Yeah. I mean, now that the Trainer's dead, I've to start planning for my future." I place my paws on his shoulders like a father would to a son. "Take my advice, Pichu, and do the same."

"But – but aren't we all going back with his family after the funeral?"

"And then what? They aren't breeders or trainers; they have full-time jobs. None of them would bother about us – I expect we'd even get released eventually. Or at least, _most_ of us."

"Released?" His eyes expand to the size of saucers. "I–into the wild?"

"Yeah. Come to think of it, it's not so bad – I used to be wild myself, you know." All of a sudden, I gasp dramatically, slapping one paw into the other as though I have just realised something. "Oh no – it could turn out a lot worse than that…"

"What? What?" The poor guy is actually trembling now.

"What if they decide to sell us to other people instead? We could actually end up going to horrible humans who would force us to battle all day long, for instance… _or worse_." I smile, patting the shivering Pichu on the back consolingly. "Food for thought, my friend. Think about it before it's too late."

"Noooo," he whines, tears starting to form at the corners of his eyes. "I don't want that to happen!"

Oops. Perhaps I've gone overboard. Gardevoir would kill me if she ever finds out. "No – no, Pichu, I'm only joshing. Don't take it too seriously."

"But it's true! Our Trainer keeps us around because, well, he's a trainer. But we're the two weakest Pokémon in the team, and now that he's dead, we'll stay that way – and his family wouldn't want us!"

"Okay, look here." I grab Pichu and spin him around to face the shelf. I point upwards at the poster I saw earlier, the one depicting a Pikachu. "See that? See how powerful that Thunder attack is? The Trainer keeps us around because he _knows _we'll attain that level of strength someday. We have potential – we might even end up being stronger than Gallade _and _Hitmonlee combined!"

I give a toothy grin. "And just because the Trainer isn't around anymore, it doesn't mean that you can't train yourself to become stronger. That Pikachu works hard to learn the move and reach that stage of power. He didn't do it by becoming a quitter."

"Big deal. He probably cheated by using a TM."

"You're not getting my point," I say through gritted teeth. "And anyway, I'm pretty sure Pikachu is able to learn Thunder without the aid of a TM, so you should hurry up and evolve. Work hard, work smart."

"Ah, but I can learn it now if I just use the TM, right?" Pichu scampers towards the crate and hoists himself up. He grabs one of the boxes containing Thunder and stares at it longingly. "I was hoping he would buy this for me that time in Veilstone. I guess it is as you said – I could learn this naturally if I evolve, so he just wanted to save money. Hmm… I wonder why these TMs are shaped like CDs…"

My ears perk up, sensing another opportunity to have some fun. Really, Pichu makes it all too easy. I walk forward and rest both my arms on the crate Pichu is standing on, trying to look casual. "But don't you know?"

With the box still in his paws, Pichu turns around slowly to face me, looking a little frightened. "Know what?"

"Let me ask you, Pichu. What do you use a CD with?"

"We put it in a computer, or some other sort of machine, if that's what you mean," he answers uncertainly, his head slightly tilting to a side.

"Exactly."

I grin, perhaps a little too deviously, as I stare at the look of shock slowly creeping across his tiny little features. I must have blown his mind – right now, he is probably questioning his entire existence. Like I said, it's all too –

"Gardevoir told me not to take your words too seriously."

Wonderful. Thanks a lot, Gardevoir.

Pichu turns back to the shelf and stares upwards at one of the higher ledges. "I wonder what other TMs they have here." He begins to stand on the tips of his feet, trying to reach for some of the boxes displayed above.

"Whoa, careful –"

And as I expected, Pichu loses his balance and flails his arms around as he tumbles forward, knocking some of the boxes down. He manages to break his fall, but the commotion has roused the shopkeeper. The man lumbers over, and upon catching sight of his products strewn across the floor, yells and shakes his fist at us.

Pichu and I dash for the exit as fast as our legs can carry us. After placing as much distance between us and the shop as we can, I plop down onto the snowy ground and pant, glaring at the little troublemaker.

Pichu hangs his head. "I'm sorry, Riolu… that man will never want to hire you now, would he?"

In spite of myself, I begin to laugh. "Gardevoir was right, you know. Sometimes, you just can't take my words seriously."

He looks up in surprise. "So… you weren't thinking of working there then?"

"Nope."

"But… what about your future? Didn't you say that the Trainer's family would want to get rid of us eventually?"

"Ah, who knows?" I stand up, brushing the snow off my fur. "Maybe they'll keep us around in memory of the Trainer or something. Come on, let's go."

I begin to walk along the pavement, looking around at all the other buildings while Pichu follows closely behind, shoulders slumped. I can sense waves of sadness and worry pouring out from him, and before I can ask about it, he raises a question. "Riolu, what would you do if they released you?"

I give him a faint smile. "I've told you, haven't I? I used to be a wild Pokémon. I guess I would just go back and live in the forest. What about you?"

"I really don't know," he says, which probably explains why he seems so upset. "I wonder what the rest would do though."

"Gallade and Gardevoir would probably go off somewhere and start a family," I say, pointing out the obvious. "Hitmonlee… well, you know how he likes to fight, fight, fight. I expect he would search around for a strong trainer and join his or her team." I chuckle as I add, "That trainer will never have a moment of peace again."

Pichu laughs lightly, looking slightly happier now. "And what about Magneton?"

"Oh, that's a tough one. I can never guess what's going through his mind. Maybe he would linger around a construction site or something."

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

"Oh, okay." He stares downwards, ears drooping. "But… this means that we'll never get to see each other again, right? Everyone will go their separate ways?"

I pause, looking at Pichu. He has usually been the most cheerful member of the team, and it is unlike him to be so down. "Maybe… but can you honestly say that you would mind not seeing someone like Hitmonlee ever again?"

"Maybe not him, but… we've been together for so long… it's so hard to think that our lives could change all of a sudden." He sighs. "Things would remain the same if only the Trainer did not get killed."

"Yeah… I guess so…"

"I wonder who did it."

I hesitate again, pondering if I should ask the same question that I've brought up to Gardevoir earlier today. I guess it will not hurt if I get his opinion… "Pichu, do you think the murderer is one of us?"

He stares at me in fright, recoiling a little. "This is another one of your jokes, isn't it?"

I stop walking and shake my head solemnly. "Not at all – I'm being serious here. Don't you think that it's highly likely? For starters, look around – not a single one of the team, with the possible exception of Gardevoir, seems to be upset about the murder."

"I'm not the murderer!"

"I know," I say, exasperated and yet amused at the same time. "If I thought it was you, I wouldn't have asked. The thing is that, even with the Trainer gone, Gallade and Gardevoir are always out together on an endless romantic date. Magneton… well, he usually shows no sign of emotion anyway. And Hitmonlee, he goes around training by himself and tormenting us as usual. It's as though nothing has happened!"

After contemplating my words, he says, "That doesn't mean anything."

"It shows that none of us care too much about the Trainer. In fact… you can even say that, with the Trainer dead, everyone seems to be calmer and relaxed."

Pichu shakes his head and folds his arms, looking slightly confused. "I don't see any of us killing the Trainer though…"

"Really?" I then look around the surrounding area; there are only a few people walking about, with the occasional Pokémon or two. No one I recognise. Better to play safe though – my Aura Filters begin to rise slightly as I close my eyes and conduct a brief scan of the vicinity.

Being only a Riolu, my abilities are not up to scratch yet. However, I believe that my Aura skills have improved lately… or so I like to think anyway. In any case, there doesn't seem to be anyone from the team nearby. Satisfied, I lean closer to Pichu. "Not even Hitmonlee or Gallade?"

Pichu squirms a little, clearly uncomfortable at the direction in which the conversation is heading. "I know they can get violent at times, but murder? That's… that's going too far… and what motive would they have anyway?"

"All right, I admit I haven't thought about that yet. Maybe Gallade thinks all the training is cutting into the time he could have spent with Gardevoir – or maybe Hitmonlee is jealous of how the Trainer seems to favour Gallade… I dunno. And what about Magneton, huh? They say it's the quiet types you got to look out for."

"I still don't know… it all seems a little far-fetched to me…"

"Yeah, I suppose so. Let's hope that officer in the navy-blue suit nabs the culprit soon."

"Oh, _him_?" Pichu says with a small laugh, and I can tell that he has not gotten over being tossed about by the man either. "He didn't seem too keen on the investigation, did he? He'll probably leave the case unsolved."

"Ah." I laugh along; it is rare for Pichu to be so critical of someone. I guess there's always a different side to everyone that they don't show often. "Too bad there's nothing we can do about it."

Pichu pauses mid-laugh and stares at me, eyes shining. "But there is!"

Bewildered, I gaze back at him quizzically. "What?"

"We can take the investigation into our own paws! I think that's a great idea!"

"Great idea indeed." My voice is dripping with sarcasm, though knowing Pichu, he wouldn't have detected it anyway. "The murder scene is probably closed to the general public. There's no way they'll let us sniff around and gather clues."

Surprisingly, Pichu's smile does not dim. "But assuming that you're correct and one of us is the murderer, all we got to do is question the others."

"Yeah, I can see that happening." I raise my paw dramatically forward to an invisible being, as though I'm interviewing someone. "Oh hi, Hitmonlee," I say, making my voice come out unnaturally bright and bubbly. "I am investigating the murder of our Trainer – so tell me, was it you, in the room, with the knife?"

That did the trick; Pichu's excitement die away as he slowly nods. "Yeah, I guess it won't be that easy."

I stare at him, greatly amused. "You're not really interested in the investigation – you just want to have fun, am I right?"

"Not true," he says indignantly. "I think I can be a great detective."

I just nod, not knowing whether to take him seriously or not. He will probably flip out if I tell him what Gardevoir had seen in her visions… But Gardevoir is right – I should keep that to myself. I know I said that Pichu couldn't be the murderer, but still…

My thoughts stray to her vision once again. So Gallade would fall off a cliff… I remember there is a mountain nearby. I suppose there is a chance that the scene in her premonition will take place somewhere in that area. It might be a good idea to check out the location now…

"Hey Pichu. Remember that forest we talked about yesterday?"

His lips curve into a small frown as his head turns towards the mountain overlooking Snowpoint City, around which the forest is located. I glance upwards as well at the peak of the mountain. Coupled with the falling snow and cloudy sky, I must admit that it is like a magical backdrop, so melancholic and serene.

"Yes…" Pichu says uncertainly. "What about it?"

"Wanna go explore?"

"No way!" he exclaims in a hurry, looking appalled that I even brought it up. "What for? And I distinctly remember you saying that you would never go in there alone!"

"Yeah, but I won't be alone if you go with me," I explain slowly with an air of forced patience. "Come on, nothing will happen."

"You won't know that for sure! We might bump into some sort of terrifying Pokémon, or – or –"

"If that happens, we fight – that's what the Trainer would want: for us to continue our training even when he's dead. You wouldn't want him to be disappointed, would you?"

Pichu shakes his head furiously. "And if we do stumble upon a ferocious enemy, _we_ will be dead too! I may like the Trainer, but I don't want to go wherever it is that he has gone to yet!" He then throws a suspicious look at me, one that I rarely see coming from him. "Why the interest in battling all of a sudden? I always thought you hated our training sessions."

I am somewhat offended by his last statement. With an irritable flick of my tail, I fold my arms. "If you are trying to suggest that I'm lazy, you're wrong. I put a lot of effort into my training, perhaps more so than anyone else in the team."

"Sure," he says, giggling. "Like that time when you fell asleep while we were all throwing sticks and stones at Gallade to help him with his evasion problems."

"That – that – I –" Indignation is rendering me speechless; I did not expect Pichu to bring that embarrassing memory up out of nowhere. There are so many things I want to say in my defence that I'm not sure where to start. "That does not count! I was exhausted – in case you forgot, the Trainer had placed me through a particularly rigorous training session beforehand. Oh, but of course you wouldn't know – you were all having a picnic elsewhere, weren't you?"

"Riolu…"

Pichu shrinks back a little, but I ignore him and continue my rant. "And seriously, that was one of the most pointless sessions ever. Even a toddler would know to dodge an oncoming attack – it's just an attitude problem of Gallade's – instead of retreating backwards and avoiding an attack, he just has to be stubborn and go forward to meet it head-on!"

"Riolu," Pichu says pleadingly, grabbing my arm and tugging it lightly. "I'm sorry… I wasn't trying to insult you…"

I pause to take a deep breath and calm myself down. "I – I know… I'm sorry for my outburst…"

"No, it's all right!" Pichu smiles, looking relieved that my anger has subsided. "And anyway, I see now what you meant earlier at the shop." At my puzzled expression, he explains, "You said that we have to train to get stronger – and it does work, doesn't it? Gallade has indeed improved his evasion skills; so much to the extent that it has pretty much become a reflex. And I've slightly increased my resistance to Ground-type attacks, though not by much yet."

That's right, I have nearly forgotten. Pichu's training mostly involved building up his defence against Ground attacks, seeing as it is his only weakness. This holds true even when he reaches his final stage of evolution, which I guess is one additional reason why the Trainer keeps Pichu around.

"So, um… I'll go with you to the forest, if you want to." He tries to put on a brave front, but I can see him shivering a little – though I guess that it might have been because of the cold. But still, I get the feeling that he is only agreeing to follow just to appease me.

"Thanks. I promise it won't take long."

"Why do you want to go there anyway? Is it really for the training?"

Hesitating, I shuffle my feet uncomfortably. I guess the truth would come out eventually… There is no point in lying anyway – if we really did stumble into a wild Pokémon in the forest, I wouldn't stick around to fight. I would flee right off the bat. "Well… it's rather complicated…"

"Yes?"

_Darn it, _I thought inwardly. I was hoping Pichu would get the hint and back off, but no, he continues staring at me innocently.

Pichu blinks, looking bewildered. "Uh, sorry?"

"I haven't said anything yet." I sigh, once again checking around the surroundings to make sure that no one is eavesdropping. "All right – don't tell anyone, okay? Gardevoir has had a vision."

"A vision?" His expression is one of mild curiosity. I guess my revelation did not leave much of an impact on him – he must not realise how grave the situation is. "About what?"

"About Gallade. Apparently, he'll be venturing there, and… well… I just want to scour the area a little."

"Oh, okay," Pichu says, looking confused. "Why mustn't I tell anyone though? And how did you come to know about the vision anyway?" A mischievous grin spreads across his face. "I get it – you overheard them talking about it! You've been spying on them! That's why you want me to keep mum!"

"Uh… sorta, I guess."

"But is it really that important? I mean, it is kinda risky, going into the forest… We aren't exactly the strongest of Pokémon…"

"It'll be all right," I say firmly. "Maybe we aren't strong, but we're fast. We can easily outrun any enemies we encounter."

My words were not enough to raise his confidence, apparently. "I'm not so sure about that…"

"Well, if you don't want to come with me, I'll just go by myself." I walk straight past Pichu, towards where the mountain and forest is located. I keep my ears pricked though – any second now, he will cave in; I know what he's like. He'll probably call out for me in three… two… o–

"Wait up!"

Oh well, close enough. I grin to myself as the sound of Pichu's hurried footsteps fill my ears, and I turn around to see him rushing up. "What?"

"I'll come with you!"

"Great!"

"I really don't think I'd be able to outrun any wild Pokémon though…"

I reach out a paw and pat him on the back reassuringly. "Well, you know what they say. You don't have to outrun the enemy – you just have to outrun your friends. Don't worry; I'll give you a brief head start."

He gapes at me in horror – seriously, that look never gets old. "I'm only kidding, of course. If we meet an enemy, I'll grab you and Quick Attack our way to safety, all right? Now let's hurry; it'll get dark soon."

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Pichu's – and admittedly mine as well – worries were unwarranted. There are a few Pokémon here and there in the forest, but none of them pays us any heed. I guess a plausible explanation is that we do not pose much of a threat, which means that this is one of those rare occasions where our tiny statures end up being beneficial.

As evening starts to set in, Pichu begins to complain again, fatigue showing in the way he slowly trudges through the snow. "We're lost, aren't we? How are we going to get back later?"

"No, we're not." I point at the footprints we have left on the snow behind us. "And we can easily follow the trail back."

"That is assuming the snow does not start to fall again. And don't forget a wild Pokémon could easily cover the footprints. Or worse – follow them right to us!"

"Don't be silly." I highly doubt a Pokémon would follow our trail, but I'm worried that a human might. Then again, we have our metal tags with us, though I doubt a human would spot it from a distance – they really should have given us bigger tags or something.

Ah well. What's the worst that could happen? We might get hit in the head by an empty Pokéball or two, or even challenged to a battle, but that's about it. All the same, I decide to keep those thoughts to myself.

"We have walked quite a long way," Pichu whines. He points through the trees, where the evening sun can be seen casting a red glow upon the city. "Look – we're even _hiking _the mountain now – what happened to just exploring the forest?"

I stay silent and stare at the sunset, not really paying attention to Pichu. There is just something eerie about the scene, as though it is a sign, or a warning, that something unpleasant is just waiting right around the corner.

Now that I'm here myself, I can see that this would be a good place for committing a murder. There are few Pokémon about, which means the murderer is less likely to create a witness. All the trees around also creates plenty of hiding spots for the murderer to stay out of sight, if needed. And who needs a murder weapon when the environment itself is a hazard? Gardevoir had seen Gallade jumping off a cliff…

But that is the crux of the matter – Gallade jumped on his own accord. No one pushed him. No one attacked him. It is all so strange.

Pichu tugs at my arm pleadingly like a little child wanting something from an adult. "Can we go home now?"

"Not yet; just a little further, okay? I really need to check something."

The Electric-type's shoulders slumps, but he nods. "All right, but you owe me one for this."

"Thanks."

Without another word, I trudge up ahead, quickening my pace. Though I haven't seen the vision myself, I have a gut feeling that it takes place somewhere around here – I mean, where else could it have been? Sure, it's unlikely for Gallade to ever want to set foot into this location, but there might be an unknown reason behind his presence here in Gardevoir's vision…

Weaving my way through the trees with Pichu doing his best to keep up, I look around for signs of a clearing, in which Gardevoir had claimed to see Gallade jump to his death. After several more minutes, I finally find it.

It's a small clearing, true, and I've no idea if it is the same one that Gardevoir had seen. At the end is the edge of a cliff, overlooking a sea of snow-capped trees which stretch out far and wide until they meet the city. Right behind me, Pichu let out a small gasp as he marvels at the vista.

"It's beautiful…" Pichu whispers, taking a few steps forward. He turns to me, his eyes shining. "So, Gardevoir had a vision about Gallade coming here? I can see why – he probably thought it's a romantic location."

"I… don't know." I walk forward as well, though making sure to stay far away from the edge. I mull over Pichu's words – perhaps I was wrong. Maybe Gallade did have a reason to come here after all: to enjoy the scenery with his beloved. Well, at least the vision has warned her about it. By now, Gallade probably has been told to steer clear from cliffs.

I try to peer downwards to see how far away the bottom is, but I cannot get a clear view from where I am standing. There is no way I'll ever admit it to Pichu, but I seem to have developed a sudden case of acrophobia. I nudge him, pointing towards the front. "Hey, can you walk over to the edge and see what it's like down there?"

"What? No way! You do it yourself!"

… Well, it was worth a shot. Sighing, I drop to my knees and begin to crawl forward. I don't care if Pichu teases me about it later – I swear my legs have turned to jelly right now.

Dragging myself to the edge, I summon enough courage to stare down. My paw bumps into a pebble, and I watch in horror as it plummets downwards, imagining it to be a little Riolu whose life is about to end. It _is_ a very, very high cliff, and I can see that Gallade's chances of surviving a fall from it are incredibly slim. No, scratch that. They are practically nonexistent.

And here I am, at the very edge of the cliff. All it would take is a little push, and… I don't even want to think about it. I'm still so young.

It is then I realise that I'm shaking all over. Thank goodness Pichu is the only one here with me. Gallade would taunt me about it forever – Pichu probably would as well, but I can easily tease him back about something else and shut him up. And Hitmonlee, oh Arceus, don't even get me started.

He would rush up to me, cackling, and possibly try to shove me a little. His idea of a joke. I wouldn't even be surprised if Hitmonlee go so far as to grab me by the tail and dangle me over the edge. In fact, I can just imagine the scene vividly in my mind right now, with him bursting out from the trees behind to surprise me and that horrible look in his eyes and that maniacal laughter and –

"Ri–Riolu! Riolu! Riolu!" Pichu yells frantically, causing me to almost jump out of my fur in fright.

The panic emanating from him is immense, and it's making me fearful as well. "What? _What_?"

"I – I heard something coming from over there!" he says, pointing towards the trees. "And I saw a shadow too! Someone's there!"

No way… there is no way the scene from my imagination is going to come true… I crane my neck around, trying to get a better view, but there's nothing there. Pichu is still gazing around in a panic – he probably thinks it's a wild Pokémon or ghosts or something.

Whoever it was, I need to get as far away from the edge as I can, but there is just one small problem: fear has rendered me immobile. "Pichu – I can't move – help! Pull me backwards!"

"O–okay! I'm coming!"

I let out a gasp of fright as I felt a pair of cold paws grasp my feet, but I realise it's only Pichu, dragging me away from the edge. Once I'm a safe distance away, I manage to put myself in a sitting position. Pichu has gone back to looking around for signs of the person or Pokémon that he saw.

"Are you sure you saw someone?" I ask, trying to stand up. "Could it have been your imagination?"

"No, I really did! I even _heard_ 'em, whoever it was! I'm not making this up!"

"All right, all right, I believe you." I stretch my legs a little, glad that they have finally stopped shaking. "Do you think whoever it was is still lurking about?"

Pichu slowly shakes his head, his eyes darting about wildly as he continues to scan the area. "I dunno… I – I think we better leave quickly."

I nod. "No objections here. Let's go."

With our paws locked together, Pichu and I run as fast as we can, as though our lives depend on it – which may not be too far from the truth. Although I've neither seen nor heard anyone when we were at the cliffs, I doubt Pichu is lying. The fear I felt from him was genuine… I think.

"Are you sure you know the way?" Pichu asks between pants as I lead him through the trees.

"Yes – our footprints are still here; and besides, I have a good memory!"

And true to my word, it doesn't take long before we manage to escape from the forest and into the safety of Snowpoint City, where it is unlikely for wild Pokémon or murderers to harm us – not with people and Pokémon walking about.

I immediately sit down on the sidewalk, leaning against the side of a building as I catch my breath. Interestingly enough, our journey back from the cliffs ate only about half the time it took us to reach there in the first place. I guess it really makes a difference when you know the way – and when there's a possibility that some unknown entity is chasing you.

Casting a glance towards the forest, I search for any signs of movements in the trees and shrubbery, but all is still. Nonetheless, Pichu is extremely jumpy and insists that we rush back to the Inn, which is fortunately not too far away. I agree with him – I've had enough adventures for today.

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Pichu and I are the only ones of our team back early for dinner at the Inn, though there are also a few other Pokémon about. I don't know any of them well, but at least they are polite.

Pichu tells me that he is exhausted, and would like to retreat to his room. I nod and thank him again for following me, and he walks upstairs with a bunch of berries from the dinner table in his paws.

Chewing on a berry myself, I stand at the entrance hallway and stare at the iron gates out front. Any minute now, the Innkeeper will grab the ring of keys hanging from the peg by the counter and lock those gates, and any Pokémon late to return will be shown no mercy… just like what happened to me yesterday.

But I'm already safe and snug inside the Inn; so today, I'm hoping that someone else gets locked out instead. Imagine if it was Hitmonlee… I could stand safely at the other side of the gate and taunt him to my heart's content. Of course, I would probably pay the price for my moment of fun the very next day, but still…

A lone figure soon approaches the gate, and I realise that it is Magneton. The Electric-type spots me and floats lazily over – I take it that he is no longer mad at me, if he even was in the first place.

"Hello," I ask cautiously, gazing upwards at him. "Where have you been?"

"Around," he replies shortly. "The city has many interesting things. Nice change, being able to look around instead of training our life away. It is not like all of us need the training anyway."

With that brief remark, he continues on his way. Just as I'm pondering if he was secretly making a jibe at me with that comment, there comes a shout from the gates. I turn to the source of the commotion – great, Hitmonlee is back. He isn't alone, however; Gardevoir and Gallade are there as well, and as usual, the latter seems to be quarrelling with Hitmonlee. I guess without the Trainer to keep them in check anymore, their squabbles are bound to increase in frequency.

I walk a little closer to the doorway and look on as they verbally abuse each other, tossing about plenty of words which I've never even heard of before. Great way to expand my vocabulary, I guess. They then progress from throwing insults to punches, and at this point, Gardevoir tries to act as the peacemaker, pushing her way in between the two.

Big mistake.

A kick meant for Gallade hit Gardevoir squarely in her torso instead, and she falls backwards, clutching her stomach. Gallade immediately rushes to her side, checking on her condition. Upon ascertaining that she is fine, he casts a murderous glare at Hitmonlee.

In an instant, Gallade dashes up to him and delivers a huge punch, the impact sending Hitmonlee flying backwards and crashing into one side of the open gates. There is a loud creaking sound as the gate swings around, and I cover my ears quickly. All of a sudden, I'm pushed to the side – I look up in surprise, and see that the Innkeeper is swiftly making her way out, a broom in her hands.

Oh, this is about to get exciting.

As Gallade has gone and attended to Gardevoir again, the Innkeeper turns to the only Pokémon who is seemingly responsible for almost destroying her gate. She raises her broom high above her head, and –

_SMACK_.

If only Pichu was with me – he would enjoy this. Hitmonlee raises his arms defensively, trying to shield his head as the Innkeeper continues bashing him with the broom. I cannot help but laugh at his helplessness – not so tough now, are you, Hitmonlee?

Unfortunately, Hitmonlee manages to dodge her next swing, and he quickly runs towards the Inn – towards me. My reactions are too slow, and I find myself being picked up by the scruff of my neck as he glares deep into my eyes, effectively wiping the smirk off my face.

He shakes me violently. "And what are you so happy about?"

Without a word, I raise a paw and point behind Hitmonlee. Before he could turn around, the Innkeeper whacks him hard again, causing him to drop me onto the floor. Seizing the opportunity, I scamper up the stairs and into my room, slamming the door shut. I'm inwardly grateful that we have separate rooms now.

I climb up onto my bed and stare out of the window – not that there is much to see, what with the scaffoldings blocking my view. Just my luck to have been given a room close to the construction area. My mind eventually turns elsewhere, reeling with images of the Technical Machine shop, the cliff, and the expression on Hitmonlee's face as he is being attacked by a broom-wielding innkeeper.

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A couple of days pass by like the ever-precipitating snow without any incident. Gallade is still alive and kicking – quite literally too, for he had had a few more scuffles with Hitmonlee. From this fact alone, I had expected Gardevoir to be less worried, but no – it is quite the opposite, in fact. She seems to be extremely stressed, always paranoid and jumpy.

Though I wanted to ask Gardevoir if she had told Gallade about her vision – as well as his reaction to it, if she had – I never did get the chance, seeing as she is always by Gallade's side. I certainly wouldn't wish to have a chat with him around.

As such, I decide to corner Gardevoir when she is in her room alone tonight. I press my ear against my room's door, trying to hear if Hitmonlee is about. He has been on the lookout for a certain little Riolu ever since the day I witnessed him getting whacked by the Innkeeper, and I'm sure he will vent his anger at being humiliated on me.

Hearing nothing at all, I slowly open my door, wishing it would not creak so much. The hallway is deserted, and I pad over to Gardevoir's room. I knock, but there is no answer. I suppose I'm not surprised – she is probably with Gallade right now. That makes it harder for me to question her…

My Aura Filters perk up; there is a rush of emotion pouring from somewhere nearby. Curious, I allow my senses to lead me right to the source, and I soon find myself standing outside Gallade's room. Though the door is closed, I can easily detect the presence of two individuals within.

From where I stand, the soft sounds of Gardevoir sobbing reaches my ears, and I strain hard to listen.

"I'm sorry," I can hear Gardevoir whisper, and I picture Gallade with his arm around her. "It's just that… I cannot get that image out of my head… every time I close my eyes, I see it… I just don't know what to do anymore…"

"Listen," Gallade says sternly. "It's only a vision. What's more, you have told me about it. All I got to do is stay away from mountainous areas and I'll be fine! It's worked so far, hasn't it? Am I not still alive?"

"But I'm still worried," Gardevoir replies, and I imagine her looking up into his eyes. "It's easy to say that you'll steer clear from them, but what if… somehow… the murderer lures you there? Furthermore – who is to say the murderer will not try to kill you somewhere else?"

He laughs. "Nothing will ever make me go near there, all right? If it were anyone else, I wouldn't care – but this is a request from _you_, and you know I'll not refuse. As for the murderer, I told you, you didn't even see one in your vision, so you can't say for sure that someone wants me dead. If it'll make you less worried though, I will just stay away from isolated areas… I'll just stick close to you."

There is a brief moment of silence, broken occasionally by the sniffs coming from Gardevoir. I can see in my mind's eye Gallade wiping a tear from her eyes and squeezing her paw while she leans her head on his shoulder.

… Wait, why am I picturing every single little action that they perform?

"If only I could trade places with you," I hear Gardevoir say. "I don't mind being the one who dies, as long as you can be safe…"

"Really, Gardevoir, what a thing to say! Don't be silly – nothing will happen; you'll see. Now, take your mind off the vision, and think of happier things… about our future… Since we no longer have a trainer, we don't need to worry about training or battles anymore… We'll have more time for each other…"

"I'll like that, yes…"

"Yes, it'll be a bright future… So just focus on that, and banish all thoughts of the vision from your mind. Just think of it as a dream… or a little lifeline, for is that not what it was? Like I said, now that I'm forewarned, my death can… no, my death _will _be prevented."

They fall silent again, until Gallade speaks up after a while. "All right, it's getting late. Go and sleep, okay? We have the whole day to ourselves again tomorrow."

"But… but I don't want to leave you alone here…"

Gallade laughs again. "Gardevoir, we've been through this before. I'm not going anywhere, don't worry – I've been fine by myself for a few days now. And I'd like to see anyone try and attack me while I'm sleeping – I'm not like the Trainer; it won't be easy to kill me just like that. Have faith in me."

"I do…" Gardevoir says, but there are traces of doubt and concern in her voice.

"Then sleep, and I'll see you again tomorrow morning."

"All right."

I hear a soft creaking noise – probably the two Pokémon standing up from the bed – followed by the sound of approaching footsteps. Realising that Gardevoir is going to leave the room, I quickly run as silently as I can down the hallway, hiding behind the leg of a table. Neither of them would be too happy if they found out that I had listened in on their conversation…

The door opens and Gardevoir walks out before turning around to face Gallade, who is standing at the door. "Are you sure –?"

"Yes," Gallade says firmly, pulling her into a hug. "You need to stop agonising over your vision, Gardevoir. Go and have a nice, long rest – it's been a stressful day for you."

They let go, and she takes his paw. "Goodnight… I will see you first thing in the morning…"

"Yeah, I'll see you then." Gallade gives a smile – one that he only reserves for Gardevoir. "Goodnight."

Gardevoir nods and walks towards her room, reaching out for the doorknob. She opens the door and takes a step in before looking back across the hallway at Gallade. Their paws rise up at the same time to wave, and Gallade laughs at this coincidence before retreating into his room, the door closing with a light thud.

There's a sad smile on Gardevoir's face as her paw slowly slides down again. I can tell that she is still extremely worried for Gallade's wellbeing. Figuring that it's safe now, I pad up to her. She turns to me, looking surprised.

"Oh… good evening, Riolu…"

"Hi," I reply casually, looking at Gallade's door to make sure that he's still in his room. "So, I've been wanting to ask for ages – did you tell Gallade about your vision?"

"I did… And it was like you said; he didn't take it seriously at first. He even wanted to bring me to the mountains to prove that it's all right."

"Whoa." Memories of my excursion to the mountain with Pichu resurface in my mind, and I begin to wonder if it was them that Pichu had seen lurking about near the cliffs. "So, did you two end up going there?"

"No, of course not," she says, a little indignantly. "I manage to convince him after a bit – and now he promises to stay away from them, but all the same, I cannot help worrying."

"Well, don't. Gallade knows how to take care of himself, so take it easy. And besides, I just thought of something – you said that, in your vision, Gallade was yelling your name, am I right?"

She nods slowly, looking uncertain at where I'm going with this. "Yes… why?"

"That probably means you were there as well. Thus, if _you_ avoid going near mountains, so will he."

She pauses for a moment before smiling. "All right, I'll take note of that. Thank you, Riolu."

I grin in return. "Hey, glad to be of help. Well, it's getting late – I'm going to turn in now. Goodnight!"

She reaches out a paw and pats me on the head. "Goodnight."

Gardevoir enters her room and closes the door, leaving me alone in the hallway. I glance at Gallade's room again, worried if he had seen me talking to his lover, but all is silent. I wonder what he's doing now.

Ah well.

I walk back to my room and shut the door behind me before plopping down on the bed. Snow has started to fall again outside. I curl up in my warm, fuzzy blanket and close my eyes, quite certain that all of Gardevoir's worries will amount to nothing, and that everything will be all right.

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"Riolu! Wake up!"

Someone is at the door, pounding away. My eyelids are heavy, but I open them slowly only to find that daylight has filled the room. What – morning already? But… it felt as though I had only just fallen asleep… I close my eyes again and shift my position, pulling the blanket up to my chest.

"Riolu!"

… It is Pichu's voice, the inconsiderate fellow. Just because he's always bright and peppy in the mornings doesn't mean I have to be the same. I grab my pillow and press it against my ears. The Trainer is no longer around… just let me sleep already…

There comes such a huge pound at the door that I'm surprised it did not break down. "OI!"

What the – it seems like Hitmonlee has come to wake me up as well. Giving up, I slowly slide off the bed and walk over to the door. Opening it, I glare at them both. "What?" I ask rudely.

"Riolu," Pichu begins anxiously, cutting ahead of Hitmonlee. "Gallade has gone missing!"

In my half-asleep state of mind, I did not immediately register his words. I stare blankly at Pichu. "Come again?"

"Gallade isn't in his room! And Gardevoir is going hysterical – she keeps on yelling about going to save him before it's too late – Magneton is trying his best to restrain her downstairs. Do you know where Gallade could have gone to?"

Now fully awake, I shake my head, trying to keep calm. "How would I know where he decided to run off to? Maybe he just went for a morning jog or something."

"A jog?" Hitmonlee says, sneering. "Trust you to come up with stupid explanations like that!"

"Hey, I only just woke up, all right? Give me a break."

Hitmonlee would probably have pounded me to a pulp had Magneton not come floating over to us. "Please go downstairs," he says monotonously. "The officer says so."

I look up in surprise. So the police have been called in to investigate Gallade's disappearance so soon? Or is this to do with the Trainer's murder? Or… is it something else? "Well, all right…"

Even before reaching the bottom of the stairs, Gardevoir's wails reaches our ears, anguish and despair overflowing from her being. Next to her, Navy-Blue is talking in a low voice to the Innkeeper, both of them looking grave. He turns to us as we approach and performs a quick head-count.

"All right, you're all here." He nods to the Innkeeper and walks towards the door before turning around and motioning for us. "Follow me."

I crane my neck to see if there is another van or something waiting to pick us up, but it looks like we'll be journeying on foot this time. I turn to Gardevoir, hoping to question her a little as to what is going on, but she's too distraught to take notice of me. She keeps on mumbling Gallade's name over and over, her eyes swimming in tears.

All of us remain silent throughout the journey, not uttering a single word. Pichu has his arms wrapped around his body the entire time, shivering slightly as he throws occasional glances at Gardevoir. Both Hitmonlee and Magneton seem neutral about the situation, though there is no mistaking the air of uneasiness lingering over us.

My heart skips a beat as I realise a while later that we are all heading towards the forest. Pichu seems to be uncomfortably aware of this as well, a paw over his mouth in shock as he throws me a questioning gaze. This can only mean one thing…

I look at Gardevoir again. She has stopped sobbing, though the tears are still flowing. It is my belief that, deep down, she already knows what we are soon to find.

Navy-Blue leads us through the forest at a steady pace; he sure seems to know the place well. He eventually deviates from the path which would bring us to the top of the mountain, guiding us instead through a route that eventually leads to a clearing at the bottom of the cliffs. I spot a few more officers there, most of them peering at something on the ground.

Gardevoir lets out a cry, running ahead and pushing her way through the other policemen. The officers step aside to make way for the distressed Pokémon, revealing what exactly it was that they were staring at.

It's the broken body of Gallade, spread-eagled, eyes gazing unseeingly into the sky. His mouth is hanging slightly open, his expression one of shock and horror. Snow has accumulated on top of his body, blanketing the Psychic Pokémon as he sleeps, never to wake again. The air is once again filled with Gardevoir's wails as she kneels besides her lover, grasping his paw tightly and sobbing into his chest.

Pichu suddenly clings onto me as he stares fearfully at the fallen warrior. I turn to Navy-Blue, hoping for some sort of explanation.

Apparently, he understood. "A travelling trainer gave us a call not too long ago. Said he found the dead body of a Gallade. We came to check – he's not wearing his tag, so we weren't sure who exactly he was at first – but I remembered your team has a Gallade. I went to the Inn, and found out that your Gallade is missing. And judging by the way she is acting," he nods towards Gardevoir, "I guess it's safe to say that he's one and the same. We'll do a detailed check later though."

I feel that further checks are unnecessary – this most certainly is the Gallade from our team. I tilt my head upwards, as does Pichu, gazing at the top of the cliffs that we had visited yesterday. So Gardevoir's prediction had come true after all… The ordeal is not over yet.

As I turn back to Gardevoir, who looks so depressed and tormented, I cannot help but wonder what this means for the rest of us.


	3. Crash of the Cymbals

**Some paragraphs written by lupyne, and are reproduced here with permission.**

I stand there, immersed in my thoughts, a thousand crazy ideas linking up into each other and loudly clamouring for my attention. Pichu clutches me still, though I don't feel him anymore. The distressed Gardevoir ignores all of us and continues sobbing into Gallade's body, as if hoping her tears would bring him back to life.

I think I heard about that in a story long, long ago.

Hitmonlee observes the scene with a quiet disdain. I could tell that Gardevoir's wailing was starting to get on his nerves, and he was struggling to keep his mouth shut. Finally, he succumbs to temptation to let something out of his mouth.

"Well, at least with Lover-boy out of the picture, you'll have more time to trai–"

His voice cuts off abruptly as he ducks instinctively, a sharp rock sent whizzing through where his face was mere instants before. He straightens himself up, wearing a look of greater exasperation than he originally was.

Gardevoir glares daggers at him from her position over Gallade's body. Her tears had not yet stopped, but her eyes now glow dangerously as several more rocks levitate into the air, courtesy of her Psychic powers.

To be honest, I'm quite shocked: Hitmonlee not being the most sensitive Pokémon around is an undisputed fact, but to say such things in Gardevoir's face – it honestly is questionable whether he's lost all traces of intelligence that he seemed to have in the first place. Magneton, cold as he is, at least has the decency to remain silent.

Hitmonlee seems to brush aside the hovering missiles as unimportant, as he resumes his talk – either a completely unsympathetic display of insensitivity or a horrible attempt at comforting. Either way, this will probably not end well.

"I mean, you'll have to admit that –"

"Shut up." Gardevoir's voice comes steely though clenched-teeth, the glow in her eyes increasing to a near-opaque levels. She hasn't moved at all, through I can now see she's trembling in a way that has nothing to do with the cold. The missiles shiver with her, but they hold their ground.

Hitmonlee doesn't take the hint, and takes another breath to speak.

Beside me, I feel Pichu tense up a little, his grip against my shoulder tightening, and hear little scrabbling sounds as he tries to distance himself from the two. Unconsciously, I find my paws backing up as well – I don't want to be anywhere near these two when –

"What? Maybe it's a _good_ thing that he – "

"Shut up!" Gardevoir cries, straightening herself up to her full height, an unearthly aura immediately enveloping her. With a primal roar, the floating rocks fire and a Shadow Ball starts to form as she physically lunges for Hitmonlee – who I now detect giving off the slightest emanation of _fear_.

The Shadow Ball bursts forth explosively from Gardevoir's grasp, locked on to its target. Hitmonlee counters with a Blaze Kick, reflecting the attack back towards Gardevoir. Somehow, she punches it head-on, sending it back, all the while closing in on the staggering Hitmonlee in double time –

And then, the punches fly, far harder and far bitterer than in any match, even when Gallade was alive and engaged with Hitmonlee in their brutal spars. The Shadow Balls slams into the snow inches away from Hitmonlee's feet, throwing up a gigantic cloud of blinding snow. We all flinch and turn away, feeling the heavy slaps of snow on our bodies.

The Fighting-type is suddenly disorientated by Gardevoir's rapid strikes, but quickly regains the upper hand in close combat, cutting down Gardevoir with well-practiced kicks. In a matter of seconds Gardevoir is stumbling, driven backwards towards the cliff-face.

After suffering a particularly bloody kick to the jaw, something within Gardevoir snapped. I felt a reservoir of anger and power welling up from the inside of her, as she suddenly starts to overpower Hitmonlee with surprisingly accurate and powerful blows, all the while crying out incomprehensibly.

It is only about now that the good policemen of Snowpoint react, drawing out guns and shouting out orders for the Pokémon to stand down and cease attack. Obviously, this has little effect – the two are now focused solely on each other and will pay no heed to anything else. Adrenalin rushes faster through spilled blood, and judging by the increasing splatters on the fresh snow, there might soon be another body to join Gallade's –

No strategy. No discipline. All conventional rules of battle are thrown out of the window, and only pure power reigns as Gardevoir takes on Hitmonlee in a deathmatch. A deadly cocktail mix of ability, emotions and adrenalin power both on. If they felt exhaustion, none of it shows on their gritted teeth and grim faces.

Some blood splatters wetly on the snow besides Pichu. I don't know whose. He yelps and squirms away from it.

All of a sudden, a shadow looms past me, and I jump, startled. I twist around, confused for a moment, until I see the familiar figure hovering imposingly above the scene of the increasingly dangerous battle. A hundred meters from where we stand, the police car's radio emits an ominous whine of static, quickly increasing in volume and pitch.

Pichu re-clutches my shoulder in new fear, and I yelp at his tight grip. Without a word, we both turn tail together and do the only thing we can do – run. The sudden fight might have taken us by surprise, but now we are shaken out of it and are sprinting for our lives.

A little too late, the policemen notice their walkie-talkies crackling, even though no one is speaking. Behind them, the radio loses the fight in a burst of white sparks, emitting an unearthly dying scream. Pichu and I, we – we hurriedly dash across clumps of snow, putting as much distance as we can between the fight, the police – and Magneton.

"Enough."

And with just that one word, Magneton lets loose an incredible burst of energy. The light itself is so blinding that I involuntarily shield my eyes immediately, diving blindly into a mound of snow. I hear Pichu doing the same, a fraction of a second after me.

There's a pause for a mere instant, right before the earth-shattering impact of the Zap Cannon hits home.

When it does an instant later (as promised by the advertisements) the ground literally jumps, and with it, so do we. Snow is flung all over, and we're flung along with it, humans, Pokémon and all. I'm forcibly torn away from Pichu, rolling to a stop a short distance away. From somewhere I hear him squeal and groan, and somehow am reminded of Navy Blue's collar-picking moment in the van. Even through the painful déjà vu, I can't help but smirk as Navy-Blue finally has a taste of his own Hyper Potion.

After a couple of seconds, I finally deem it safe to see how much of the surrounding environment our team has managed to destroy this time. I draw a deep breath to steel myself, and then peer out.

Magneton is the only one left hovering in the dead center of the sorry scene. Gallade's body was disturbed a little, rolled over to his side. The humans are lying down – mostly – or otherwise struggling to their feet, muttering various exclamations of pain and loud comments about Magneton's mother. Others plunge their hands into snow and writhing, having electricity arc from the metal in their hands to bare, exposed skin.

I wince. Painful.

But more importantly, Gardevoir and Hitmonlee lie in smoking heaps, thrown far away from each other. Both are – unsurprisingly – not moving. I hesitantly poke my snout out a little more, cautiously sniffing the air. It smells horribly like acrid smoke. For a moment I –

"You! – The Magneton!" I hear a hoarse shout, quickly turning around to find its source. Magneton does so too, but at a far lazier pace. A police officer – Navy Blue, I realize with a start – wildly gestures at him, temporarily having lost his voice. Magneton allows a little bit of amusement creep into his features.

"Stand – _wheeze _– down!" Magneton politely does so, slowly lowering himself to near-ground level. The officers slowly stagger to their feet, and two questions are probably running through their heads – _do I shoot at the Magneton or not_, and _does it make a difference if I do_?

The magnetic Pokémon casts a sideways look at Hitmonlee and Gardevoir. With a start, I observe Hitmonlee's chest heave a little, and Gardevoir's frail breathing. _Of course they're alive_, I have to remind myself – although, for a moment it seemed very much as though…

I glance at Magneton. His display over, he had immediately reverted back into his disinterested personality. Right now something else seems to have caught his attention, because he turned away slightly, and started to float off. He wanders around the clearing, hovering about in a leisurely pace, while the officers pant and wheeze and try to keep their focus on him.

From far away, I hear the distant sounds of police vehicles, probably attracted by the odd Zap-Cannon-in-the-middle-of-the-woods.

Suddenly, a pull on my neck! I think it is Pichu, and start to swipe angrily at it, but immediately the grip grows stronger and I'm lifted bodily off the ground. At the same time, Pichu squirms and yells in protest beside me. I instinctively thrash around, but it's no use. The ground looks much further away now…

"The van's here." A familiar voice –

As his men slowly disperse to swing open the steel doors of the van, a couple of cautious policemen approach Magneton, trying to cajole him to follow them. Navy-Blue turns us to face him, swinging us a little in his grip.

I see the van, and immediately a quick succession of images floods my mind, none of which are particularly comfortable. I don't like where this is going. Funny enough, Navy-Blue seems to read my thoughts, and smiles weakly through his pain.

"Buckle up, kiddies. We're going to the Pokémon Center."

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**Chapter Three: Crash of Cymbals**

"_A-one, a-two; a-one, two, three –"_

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"No!"

I lash out, finding a whole new well of energy rising up. Reaching up and gripping Navy-Blue's wrist with both paws, I allow an offensive burst of concentrated Aura to flow through me into him.

The Force Palm attack was weak. But importantly, it came on the heels of a stupidly powerful Zap Cannon. Like a cartoon in which the dazed baddie falls after a feather's touch, so did Navy-Blue. The officer staggers backwards, releasing both Pichu and I from his grip. Even before he hits the snow, we take off running – the one time I'm glad Pichu has any initiative whatsoever.

"Run!" I instruct, and Pichu follows wordlessly. We cover ground quickly, getting away from the place of death, retracing our steps up the steep slope. Behind us I hear sudden shouts and yells, increasing in intensity. Pichu yelps breathlessly, and we speed up.

Pokémon Center visits were never very good for my mental health.

Sure, they healed me up just fine, physically. But I know it just means that I live another day as the Trainer's pet puppet, to be sent out into battle once again, again and again, to promote my awesome losing streak.

Perhaps it isn't the fault of the Center; but the cumulative effect of everything simply makes it a place of horror to my young mind. To be honest, even though it's probably the safest place to be, I'd rather be wandering around town without identification than stay in a Pokémon Center longer than necessary.

Also, the Pokémon Center Pokéblock tasted like cardboard.

And coming from someone who's actually lived on cardboard in the wild: that was not a compliment.

Reaching the top of the cliff, we're quite breathless. But upon hearing the heavy footsteps of a couple of officers hot on our tails, I take off through the trees, and Pichu follows me. We flit between the trees with ease, with the larger and less agile policemen struggling behind.

"Stop!" someone yells through the woods. But I heard his panting, and his voice becoming more and more distant. I grin wolfishly, the shadow from the trees casting black splotches across both Pichu and I, hiding us from sight.

"Riolu – I – " Pichu wheezes slightly, but I don't let up. Jumping from behind tree to tree, I'm sure the officers would have lost sight of us from time to time, nature itself providing its perfect hiding spots. We disappear in and out of vision, between the slits of light and dark.

Hopefully, they'll lose us for good. The cold snow is good for running, stinging slightly at our paws as we hastily retreat.

We break out of the woods, and continued along the shadows of sideshops. We cover several streets in absolute silence, and we hear nothing else other than the swift pattering of our paws and our ragged breaths.

Soon I skid to a stop on all fours, raising my head to look around and behind us. Pichu falls on his side beside me, chest heaving, panting heavily.

The Inn is within sight, and the gates are wide open, just in time for lunch. Around us, a shower of snow gradually makes its way down, cloaking us with a light layer. The only disturbance nearby was an unseen bird, croaking in the distance; and our freshly imprinted pawprints.

No one had followed us. I breathe a huge sigh of relief.

We had thrown off our pursuers, and were safe.

"Hello."

"AAAAAAAA!"

Pichu and I immediately clutch each other in absolute terror, wildly looking all around. No one in sight, save white snow and black shadows. No one, no one at all!

"Strange. No one ever looks up."

Ever heard someone tell you specifically _not _to do something? The immediate reaction would be, naturally, to do what you were expressively forbidden to do. An irresistible urge to defy that order, born out of curiosity.

It is, therefore, not very hard to guess what Pichu and I did next.

"AAAAAAAAA!"

What we saw was the sun, blotted out by a grotesquely odd shape. The shape got bigger, and it was only after a while did I realize that it was moving closer towards us.

"Enough."

Magneton floats lazily to ground level, staring at us with all three eyes. For the first time I feels a sense of amusement emanating from him. Pichu and I gasp for air, while Magneton gently turns around and floats away.

"Hey! –" I call out, scrambling to my feet. "Where're you going?"

"Inn," comes the curt reply.

As Magneton lazily floats over the short fence and into the construction site, Pichu and I exchange a couple of odd looks. I'm about to call out to him that the construction workers are still there, but he doesn't take notice, and the first words die away on my lips. The sound of construction work, hammering, drilling and shouting floats over the fence, but Magneton didn't seem to care, disappearing behind the fence and out of sight.

It seems like the lure of magnetic material finally broke through Magneton's mental defences.

In all our travelling we probably never got too close to too much metal – the Trainer was sure of that. Unsurprisingly, Magneton loved the stuff, and can't get enough of it. As a rule, the Trainer often kept Magneton in his Pokéball while around electronics, or in shops.

And now, the lure of the motherload of steel bars and magnetic materials in our very own backyard is too strong for Magneton.

There's a short pause, before there the sound of metal hardhat hitting against metal Pokémon.

_Bonk_.

"Aaah! A Magneton! – Get it away, y'all!"

Pichu and I rush to the edge of the Inn gates, peering around hesitantly. Pichu is the first to poke his head out, taking in the sight quietly. I follow suit after a second, an inner curiosity pleading to know more.

The construction workers face off against Magneton in an uneasy circle. Apparently they've been warned about the dangers of strong magnets in a construction site full of steel and electrical equipment – and the same probably applied to the Pokémon with six U-shaped magnets protruding from its body.

Some carry wrenches or weapons of some sort in one hand. They are closing in on Magneton, unsure of how to deal with this potentially dangerous creature. None of them are armed with Pokémon, but the weapons they have are pretty intimidating all the same.

Magneton has his back towards us. We can't read his expression, and I'm not sure we actually want to.

"We don't want to be here," Pichu breathes.

Those might just be the first wise words that mouse says.

Leaping to the ground and dashing into the Inn as fast as our tired paws can carry us, we hide ourselves away from Magneton in the safety of warm corridors. We rush past a surprised Innkeeper, not even stopping as we pound up the stairs, two at a time. Her irritated voice yells at us, becoming strangely low and distorted as we speed away.

From somewhere nearby, the voices of the construction workers are still audible, drifting in from an open window.

We pull up against the wall, slumping onto the ground, tired. Panting, I look at Pichu, and he arches an eyebrow at me. Evidently, we're probably thinking the same thing.

Hopefully we won't be seeing another Zap Cannon again too soon.

Without warning, an earsplitting sound resounds through the entire Inn.

"LUNCH!"

The voice of the Innkeepers finally dies away, but Pichu and I are still shaking it out of our heads, the ringing still in our ears. Still wary of the fact that Magneton was somewhere on Inn grounds, we creep downstairs.

The Innkeeper roughly sets down two dog-dishes of Pokéblock in the corner. "You two, shoo. Go eat in the corner." She turns away, her black mood permeating the air around her, mumbling and muttering as she goes.

"Not enough that I have to put up with incompetent renovation, I got to feed the workers, too? This is an Inn, not a charity house… what with the police lodging all the Pokémon here for free kibbles, soon I'd have to be offering ten-course meals to anyone who so much as pops his head in the door."

Pichu shrugs at me, a little amused by the Innkeeper's temper. On all fours, I stick my muzzle in the dog-dish, trying – unsuccessfully – to scoop up Pokéblock with my mouth.

Staring at me, the little mouse tries to copy my actions. Unfortunately, he wasn't blessed with a snout, so he ended up sticking his entire face into the dog-dish with a dry _splut_. I puff my cheeks up, trying to hold in a snicker.

Pichu looks up at my amused expression, a stray piece of squashed Pokéblock sticking to his forehead. "What?"

I plop down on the flooring, dog-dish in one paw and a piece of food in the other. "Forget it. Just eat with your paw." I popped the block into my mouth.

Beside me, Pichu tries to throw a piece in the air and catch it in his mouth, while I look on. However, Pichu never does get to taste the food, because at the moment when the food reaches its highest point in the air, the doors slammed open with a tremendous crash, scaring us both out of our wits.

The Pokéblock bounces harmlessly off Pichu's head.

A few sweaty, irritated, burly men swarm into the room. They seem as intimidating as a bunch of Gallades and Hitmonlees in the room, though not with quite as much tension as the both of them combined. Their loud voices and loud uniforms quickly fill the room, settling down on the table noisily amid complaints of hunger.

"Thank ya, I say," the foreman says, making himself at home on his comfortable chair as the Innkeeper serves up some food. The lady doesn't reply, grumpily setting down the dishes with a clang and leaving for the kitchen.

"Someone's in a bad mood," he chuckles to his workers, and guffaws. "Right then, I'm not going to wait for you guys, and if I finish before you do I'm still going to steal your food."

_Clunk_. The noise came from outside, in the general direction of the construction site. Pichu and I share a nervous glance.

The foreman slaps a hand on his thigh. "Them scaffoding's fragile enough without Pokémon scrambling all over it," he cries in a thickly accented voice. He doesn't look like he's from the region, although I wouldn't be surprised if he's familiar with the town already. That scaffolding's been here ever since we've arrived in Snowpoint.

"Best be going out and chasing that Magneton away for good. I don't want to rebuild everything from scratch again. C'mon, men." At his word, the big men groan reluctantly, but follow their leader into the site once again.

Pichu and I exchange glances again. The air in the Inn becomes a little tenser, as we try to go back to merely stuffing our faces with berries. But still, something different is in the air, like an excitement that I can't quite explain. No matter how hungry I was, suddenly I find myself unable to eat.

Suddenly, the foreman's voice shouts something, followed quickly by various other exclamations by his men. Various words that I'm pretty sure shouldn't be repeated in polite company. The Innkeeper's curiosity is aroused – and so are ours.

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Magneton is suspended in the air, above the construction site. Previously, there was a large steel bar that the workers had a problem moving, eventually opting to scrape it across the ground with heavy machinery one meter at a time.

The large steel bar now hovers in the air, a couple of inches off the ground.

Slowly, but surely, it moves.

It traces a short path, rotating slightly. It then floats silently up, up: up to where it's supposed to go, all the while glowing with a pale blue sheen.

I throw Magneton a quick glance. He doesn't seem to notice us all staring at him, as he delicately lowers the steel bar into place. It slots perfectly, the metal clanking as it does so. The only sign of life we get from him is the slight twitching of his magnets, and the steady focus of his eyes.

There seems to be something quietly majestic about the Pokémon, the effortless lift and power contained within those magnets. The only thought that was able to crawl its way into my mind remarked: _Well, I don't think those workers will be chasing Magneton away any more_.

My eyes flit between Magneton, the workers, the Innkeepers, and Pichu's gobsmacked expressions.

"Well, knock me down with a Caterpie." The foreman whistles. "That's some Pokémon we could use on our side."

Magneton flicks all three eyes towards him.

"But Boss," whispers a worker close to the foreman, "didn't they say never to hire no Pokém –" "Well they haven't seen this one! – " The foreman replies loudly, not quite caring that everyone else could hear. "This Magneton's goin' to cut our workload into quarters!"

"Now," he looks around at his his crew, a sly smile on his face. "Who wants to be an old stick-in-the-mud an' a wet blanket; or – ya know – bend the rules a little bit and knock off early every day?"

The resounding cheers made it obvious which side they were on. The Innkeeper puts her hands to her ears, scowling, disappearing back inside the Inn while muttering something inaudible. Magneton, on the other hand, is being welcomed warmly by the workers, hailing him as their new champion.

For once, I detected a genuine _wave_ of emotion – one of smugness and pride – from Magneton,as he allowed himself to be actually useful to something outside of battling, other than spending his life cooper up inside his Pokéball and waiting to be called upon.

…or, it could be the steel. Probably acts like a sugar rush for him.

Within the half-hour, Magneton is being shown the ropes, being asked to carry equipment and bars and rods and whatnot from one point to the other, the hammering and _clang_ing of metal on metal increasing in frequency now that he's around. Inside, I can imagine the Innkeeper ready to tear her hair out.

Pichu and I haven't moved from our spot, choosing instead to sit down in the shade and observe Magneton at work. The productivity of the workers seems to have increased, and they seem far more cheerful than they usually were. _No surprise there,_ I thought.

"You know… Riolu…" Pichu begins suddenly, hints of trepidation in his voice.

I turn to him curiously. "What?"

The little rodent begins to twiddle his paws as he stares at me, meeting my gaze somewhat hesitantly. "About Gallade… He died. He died at the bottom of the cliff. You brought me there – you said something about a vision! – why didn't you tell me that it involved his death? And here I was, thinking that Gardevoir had seen herself and Gallade having a romantic date at the cliffs or something…"

Despite the fear emanating from his being, I detect some traces of indignation. I raise my paws defensively. "Hey, Gardevoir told me not to tell anyone, all right? And last time I checked, 'anyone' includes pesky little rodents as well."

Pichu ignores the jab. "But this is serious! It's… it's… it involved someone's life – you could have prevented that from happening!"

I felt my temper rising as I glare at him. "So you're saying that it's my fault? Gardevoir had the vision – did you seriously think she would just sit idly and wait for it to happen? What do you think she's been trying to do lately; haven't you noticed the increasing amount of time she's spent by his side?

"And don't you dare suggest that I have done nothing either! I actually risked my life – and yours too, I suppose – by scouting out the cliffs, haven't I?"

He whimpers slightly. "But you could have told me…"

I laugh scornfully. "And then what? What would you have done? _Nothing_. Look, if even Gardevoir couldn't protect her lover, there's no way we could have made a difference. She told him about the vision – she warned him to stay as far away from the cliffs as he could. Gallade didn't really believe Gardevoir at first, but her message got through in the end. I asked her."

Pichu considers my statement. "Then… why? How? Her vision still came true in the end…"

I sigh, shrugging as I hug my legs. "Your guess is as good as mine."

Our conversation dies away, and the silence is broken only by the sound of the construction work continuing. "Ah well," I say, finally getting up. "I'm very sure watching Magneton is extremely interesting and all, but I'm going to get some lunch."

"Me too," pipes up the electric rodent. Together, we stroll across the compound, but turn around and stare at the usually stoic Magneton, almost _happily_ working away, surrounded by a ton of his beloved steel.

"It's really quite odd," I muse. Pichu cocks his head to the side. "Never thought I'd see him so happy."

"Well, at least he's occupied," I remarked, my mind still whirring. Right next to me, Pichu seemed lost in thought as well, rubbing his chin while staring into the distance, nodding slowly. With all her Future Sight, I doubt even Gardevoir would have been able to predict that.

_Whumpf._

Snow is kicked up, a few inches in front of us, as a circular band surrounds us both. Steel wire gauze flutters down onto us, and we're quickly entangled in it – a mess of paws, tails, and string. I realize, a little too late, that we were so preoccupied with watching Magneton work that we completely forgot about Navy-Blue and his gang.

The net twists, and we're flipped on our sides. The burly policeman holds on tightly to the Butterfree net, with us squirming inside on the other end, very much like a couple of trapped animals. The steel wiring resists our feeble attempts to cut through it, and we're quickly airlifted and – quite literally – carried away.

With a deft fling, we're sent flying out of the net, finding our marks on the cold gray wall of the inside of the police van. I slump to the floor, positive that my bones were at least cracked, while a long whine from my left told me Pichu had also found the loving embrace of the hard, steel wall.

Hitmonlee and Gardevoir are not riding with us, having already been picked up by an emergency ambulance and rushed to the Center nearby. We suffered only "minor injuries" and permanent emotional scarring – so I guess we were sitting on the delayed van on the way to the Center.

Obviously, the way Navy-Blue saw it, the best cure for emotional scarring is physical scarring. I rub sore joints, suspiciously eyeing bruised patches of fur. If that's true, he's doing a heck of a good job. I might just need the visit to the Pokémon Center after all.

Magneton wasn't with us, left behind at the Inn. We heard the dull _clunk clunk _of his work slowly dwindling away. He probably didn't even notice us. Navy-Blue and his cronies probably thought it wise to not approach him again – after all, once bitten, twice shy.

He didn't need the visit anyway. He's the only one unhurt, after all. Later, I would hear that Navy-Blue and gang had to be treated at the nearby human hospital for electrical burns. Someone was hospitalized for half a week.

We had just gotten off the Cold Gray Police Van Express, and were now staring into the imposing façade of the Pokémon Center. It is surprisingly big (although it could be that we're just small-sized) – and towers far above us, its pillars reaching for the sky.

Tall guys in flowing white robes – gowns? – quickly wheel unidentified Pokémon in on stretchers, disappearing behind the closing doors. Pichu makes a movement to follow, but Navy-Blue picks him up in mid-spring. His hand comes down hard on my own head and collar, and although I instinctively flail my paws it makes little difference.

He walks us through the door, bringing us into the Center proper.

Our situation is forgotten for a while as we stare around the Center. Chanseys bob around, cooing and staring at us curiously. The tiled floor has a still, clinical feel about it, white and sterilized. Our two other Teammates are nowhere to be seen, though I spy an infirmary for injured Pokémon. Altogether, it seems like a perfectly normal Pokémon Center – something does seem a little off, though –

Our situation is quickly brought back to remembrance.

Navy-Blue announces his arrival by dumping us roughly on the counter. I wince a little at the rough treatment, and a whine nearby tells me Pichu and Mr. Hard Table didn't have a very friendly first meeting either.

"Tough little tykes," he grins at the Nurse behind the counter.

Nurse Joy – as it invariably always is – sighs a little, casting an exasperated sigh at the police officer. For a moment there, she reminds me of Gardevoir.

"Always acting tough, eh?" she smiles wryly at him. The officer responds by puffing up his chest exaggeratedly, and acting insulted.

"Why, Nurse, these two are tough customers! Just the other day that Riolu managed to –"

"Save it," laughed Joy, lightheartedly flicking aside Navy-Blue's concerns with a wave of her hand, leaving him to splutter the rest of his sentence into silence. Turning her attention to us, she patted my head and tickled Pichu's chin, causing him to smile appreciatively. She laughs a little, continuing to scratch his fur gently.

"The big bad policeman treating you badly, mm?" Both of us immediately nod vigorously, and I turn to snarl at him for added emphasis. The colour flushes into his face, but he doesn't move or say anything. Seeing his exasperation, I break into a grin.

Joy "ha"s, turning around to face Navy-Blue with a triumphant expression on her face. "No need to go around bullying smaller Pokémon, you. These two "_tykes_" are so adorable! Why – you afraid of a little Riolu?" she jokes good-naturedly. I nod, too – before freezing mid-nod, realizing what she just said.

Was that a jab at me?...

At my dawning comprehension, Navy-Blue smirks. Besides me, Pichu tries to stifle a giggle, but fails. I turn around and glare daggers at him. He completely loses it, falling over backwards on his back and laughing out loud.

"Your face!" Pichu managed to wheeze while catching his breath. "Priceless! Ahahaha – "

I swear, if I'm offered an ability that boosts Intimidation stats, I'd learn it in a heartbeat.

Joy notices my sour reaction, and quickly brushes my head. "Naw, just kidding. You'll grow up to be a strong Pokémon soon, eh?" I nod wryly and slowly, my cheerful mood slowly dissipating in the cold Center air-conditioning.

She doesn't notice, turning back to Navy-Blue with a twinkle in her eyes. "Don't worry, I'll meet up with you later, once I knock off. Okay? Now, shoo. I need to go attend to these Pokémon. You have their Pokéballs?"

At the mention of that word, I freeze.

Pokéballs are not exactly the best means of transport. Despite all the half-baked company reassurances that "Pokéballs are perfectly safe and comfortable for your Pokémon!" (Really, who do they test them on?), Pokéballs aren't really what they're all cracked up to be.

It's a continual numbing sensation while you're captured, and if your leg falling asleep is any indication, it's positively painful for the first second or so upon release. The best part is that there's no way out, unless the Trainer releases you, or the button's accidentally pressed. That actually does happen, a surprising amount of times.

"Nah." The voice is Navy-Blue's.

I look quizzically at him. He stares back at us for a moment, then leans in closer to Joy and drops his voice. Her expression changes from one of shock, to sadness, to some odd form of empathy. I guess she gets the message.

"Mm. I think I saw him once, here, when he first arrived. Poor kid." Her voice is low.

Our Trainer's not coming back to claim us. Not this time round.

Meanwhile, Pichu is absentmindedly scrabbling around the tabletop, and comes across a hard sweet. "Ooh." He reaches out a paw to pat it, completely oblivious to everything else.

Nurse Joy sweeps Pichu up unexpectedly. The candy's sent clattering onto the floor, but no one seems to take notice of it.

"Whoa – " Pichu blinks, but Joy cuddles him and prods a finger on his cheek. "I knew I've seen you somewhere before, haha. Now, now… follow me and I'll give you two a little check-up. And I'll take you away from the _nasty poowiceman_," she coos, with a cheeky grin and exaggerated voice. Pichu brightens up, turning around sticking his tongue out at Navy-Blue.

The _nasty poowiceman _splutters in disbelief.

_Who has the last laugh now? _I smirk back, before leaping off the counter and following Joy and Pichu into the deeper parts of the Center.

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"_They're that kid's Pokémon." Navy-Blue whispers, thinking we can't hear. Joy doesn't seem to understand, although I sense a growing, niggling worry and the starting of a flower of fear. "That kid. You know, the one found murdered in his own Inn room, dagger through the back." Joy perks to life at this, peering anxiously at the policeman._

"_His Pokémon need medical help. One dead, one escaped, two severely injured, and the other two right here," he counts off his fingers. Six. _

"_Dead?" Joy repeats._

"_Dead," replies Navy-Blue. "A Gallade. Jumped off the cliff near the Inn where we're keeping them, just this morning. Cheerful way to start off your day. We don't suspect foul play – yet – only because we haven't had enough data. I'll keep you informed. Meanwhile," he goes on, "keep an eye on those two."_

"_What?" Joy blinks, stealing a glance at Pichu, who is patting at the sweet. A perfect picture of innocence. "You suspect them?"_

_Navy-Blue laughs carelessly in a low voice. He quickly sobers up._

"_The Gallade jumped off by himself. Eerie enough, not to mention he was the leader of the group or whatnot. And then the other three of his Pokémon start a no-holds-barred brawl amongst themselves, with two injured and one missing."_

_He pauses, letting his words sink in._

"_We might suspect suicidal tendencies. Those two are the only ones left." Navy-Blue cautioned. "Just… keep a closer eye on them. Don't want to dirty my hands with more paperwork, what with more Pokémon dying on my watch."_

_Joy _tsks_, turning away, busying herself by scooping up Pichu in her grasp, knocking away from him the Rare Candy that skittles across the ground of the Center, lost in the shadows._

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After our checkup, we wander around, bumping into irritated trainers and the occasional Chansey. Despite my latent fear of the Center, it isn't so bad with Pichu around. I really want to find what happened to Hitmonlee and Gardevoir. When will they be discharged? Would they come back to the Inn? Were they badly hurt?

The questions buzz around my head, the noise threatening to overwhelm me with worry unless I find out the answers I'm looking for.

Unfortunately, Pichu keeps sticking to me like an annoying – sticking – thing – which simply refuses to come off, and so I have to explore the Center while Pichu bounces along behind me and peppers me with questions about things I don't know, diverting my attention away from my search to trivial things that I don't care about.

"Riolu, do you think it's raining outside?"

"Riolu, why do they only hire Chanseys here?"

"Riolu, how in the world does Magneton reproduce?"

…okay, wait, I was mildly interested in that last one.

In any case, after "Riolu, do you have any water? I'm thirsty from talking", I have the strongest urge to stuff his mouth up with a roll or two of gauze. I continue to grumble inwardly, wishing for someone or something to take this annoying electric rodent away for a while.

Thankfully, about this time the legendary Pokémon of luck decides to stop being an idiot, and gives me some good fortune this time round. A particularly free off-duty Chansey wandering around the Center notices the bored mouse, and offers Pichu a ride in her egg-pouch; her egg being kept somewhere else safe.

I almost push Pichu into the Chansey.

Pichu glances at me, raising an eyebrow questioningly. I nod enthusiastically, trying my best to conceal a broadening grin. Chansey nearly laughs.

With my go-ahead, Pichu happily accepts, eagerly clambering up the Chansey's body to get at the pouch. While this is going on, I mumble a hasty thank-you to the Chansey, who happily waves it away with a flipper-like hand.

Pichu disappears into the pouch for a couple of seconds, before popping his head out over the edge and waving eagerly back. I nod weakly back at him, vaguely aware that people are starting to stop and stare at the sight. When he isn't looking, I mutter a quick word of thanks under my breath, unable to believe my luck.

"Mush!" Pichu yells happily, pointing forward.

The Chansey chuckled, and waddled forward obligingly at a far slower pace than he wishes.

"Aww, come on…faster! Faster!" he cajoles, almost jumping up and down inside the pouch, but the Chansey merely smiles and slowly shuffles forward at a leisurely pace. Pichu's odd antics attract some attention as he and his unusual steed plod away slowly towards the far end of the Center, with people starting to smile and point.

_Well, at least he's having fun_, I muse.

And now that he's out of the way…

I quickly run around a little, glancing quickly at the many signs propped up all around. I can't read human language, but I do recognize familiar symbols from other Pokémon Centers. Perhaps with Pichu distracted, I'll be able to find what I'm looking for easier.

By closing my eyes and bringing up the memory of a horrible incident involving Gallade and Gardevoir, I try desperately to recall the symbol for the emergency ward…

A glowing picture on the wall roughly matches the fuzzy image in my mind. Hoping I'm right, I quickly dash down that corridor on all fours. There are only a couple of turns, but quickly the corridor gives way to large double doors with a glowing word emblazoned across it.

Skidding to a halt, I pause for a second to catch my breath. Then, pressing my ear to the door, I try to listen for any sounds from Gardevoir or Hitmonlee, but the buzz of activity behind the door makes it impossible to pick out any single voice.

Shrugging, I cautiously push open the door a crack and slide in.

The world behind the door bustled with quiet activity. Chansey and nurses alike flitted between doors and corridors, beds and operating tables. Once in a while a stretcher would squeak across my field of vision, the attendant Chanseys pushing them to unknown destinations.

Choosing one at random, I scamper after a certain stretcher, in the shadow of the rather large Chanseys. Glimpsing left and right, I hope to search for anything that could help me, but all stretchers look exactly the same to me.

Look, I'm two feet tall. I can't even see who's on the stretcher.

I pass ten minutes like this, ducking from shadow to shadow, avoiding Nurses and Chanseys, all the while hoping to sneak a peek of two familiar faces. The search is mostly unfruitful, only with the sounds of medical instruments clattering against metal and the occasional instructions to break the monotony.

Row after row of patients. Burn patients. Paralysed patients. Patients requiring immediate medical care. And a closed door, with a dimly lit sign above it – closely surrounded by anxious Blisseys and scurrying Chanseys.

But as I'm just about to give up hope, a little glimpse of white and brown happen to catch my eye. I do a double take, stumbling to a halt and checking the corner of my eye. I can't be that lucky, can I?

I take another peep through the windows of the glass.

Gardevoir and Hitmonlee.

_Yes._ I pump my fist silently.

"Aaaaaaaaaaa!"

_What a shrill scream!_, I think, wincing and covering my ears instinctively. It takes me a moment to realize that the scream comes from a rather observant Chansey, and the rather observant Chansey was observing the rather unobservant me.

My jaw drops open in a silent "oh". I stagger backwards a little, as the Chansey shrilly chatters away something unintelligible. Putting up my paws in surrender, I suddenly look oddly like a criminal in the dock, shivering. An ominous shadow looms over me, and I look up, not knowing what to expect.

"Out! Out!" I blink, confused, flailing about randomly as a couple of strong Chansey muscle me out. You do have to understand – these aren't your ordinary Chanseys… they may look pink and fluffy but they really do pack a punch. Before I knew what was going on, they had pushed me to the main doors and I stumble out.

But that was not before I had caught sight of my quarry.

Hitmonlee was lying, nearly completely motionless. The sight of the once-proud fighting-type Pokémon needing critical medical support was a sobering sight to behold. Not even Gallade could land him in that state. How far the mighty have fallen.

Beside him, Gardevoir was in a far worse condition, having attacked recklessly and suffered deep cuts and bruises. It seemed like a scene out of a movie, she was attached to so many wires and beeping instruments and the green line that flickers everything she rasps for breath.

Both of them had various body parts are wrapped in gauze, but oddly enough, their injuries don't seem too serious. Perhaps it was the fact that the Pokémon next to them is really seriously injured, but –

And then there was a blur of silver and white as the Chanseys threw me out. I flail my paws, drawing circles in the air, trying to regain my balance. But I can't stop stumbling forwards, and almost immediately crash into a gray mass of fur.

"Ahh!" I take a few steps backwards, eyes squeezed tightly shut, raising a paw to block myself.

You do have to understand – if it were Hitmonlee or Gallade I crashed into, I'd be blasted clear across the room before I had a chance to explain. Over time, it's become an instinctive reaction every time I so much as brushed against someone's ankles.

And what with Gardevoir looking so much like Gallade, you should see her reaction when I instinctively plead her for mercy and blindly run away. Well, in our team, there's a need for fast reflexes.

But this time, there comes no Blaze Kick or Focus Punch, but instead an amused grunt.

A muzzle presses against my head, and I shrink away in fright.

"Whoh there," a kindly voice said.

I hesitantly pry open one eye, lowering my paw. An odd expression must have been etched on my face, because the other Pokémon immediately starts chuckling. Footsteps sounded, and the Pokémon's trainer squats down, looking me kindly in the eye.

"There, there," he murmured, smiling. "Wolf here's a pretty friendly one, so no need to worry."

The Mightyena nodded curtly, grinning. "You be careful now, kid."

The trainer ruffles my head a little more, and then stands to leave. The Mightyena nods at me, then drops his voice to a low whisper.

"Someone you know inside?" He pointed his snout towards the emergency room, whose double doors had swung closed by themselves by now.

I nodded, but was careful not to betray any emotion. Images of Hitmonlee and Gardevoir float into my mind's eye. When would they be discharged? Even though I try my best, a little worry starts to surface on my features.

The Mightyena paced a little, his tail flicking from side to side in growing unease. Eventually, he came to a halt, stopping in front of me. Nodding sympathetically, he wishes me good luck in a low voice. I watched him slowly pad away after his master, and disappear back into the human crowd in the Center.

Momentarily confused by his act of empathy, I don't know what to do at first. After a couple of seconds, I belatedly decide to follow after him, but suddenly find myself lost in the crowd, unable to pinpoint the friendly trainer and his Pokémon. They had instantly melted into the sea of unfamiliar faces and Auras.

I shrug, planning to return to the Inn by myself. There have been a lot of things I have to think over, so much so it's making my head hurt. Magneton's odd behaviour. Gardevoir and Hitmonlee's condition. Navy-Blue and his smirk. Joy.

Someone's shoes brush against my tail, and I immediately whip around, paws at the ready. I see nothing, nothing except for the seas of legs and unfamiliar Pokémon and strange faces.

Something inside me rises up, trying to get me to move. I want to, but somehow my paws are rooted to the spot, glued there by the skin of my paw to the cold tile of the Center. The crowd pushes in all around me, paralyzing me physically and mentally.

"Breathe – can't – breathe –" I whisper to myself, holding out my paws to stabilize myself, as if walking a tightrope. I wobble a little, nearly falling forward – but my paws still remain tightly fixed to the ground. Suddenly jerking forward, a picture drops into my head – that of Gardevoir and Hitmonlee, lying motionless, barely breathing, on the snowy ground –

Thinking about the bloody battle between the two Pokémon still brings a shiver to my spine. The cold, clinical air-conditioning just became colder. Magneton, Gardevoir and Hitmonlee, Navy-Blue, Joy, Magneton, Gar–

A tap on my shoulder.

"Aaaaaaaa!"

Then a chortle, a giggle, and then full-out laughter. I whip around to find Pichu, doubled over in laughter. Seems like the Chansey-ride didn't manage to hold Pichu's interest for long, either.

My plans of trekking back to the Inn myself deflates.

While I muse inwardly, Pichu resumes his noisy chatter, filling my ear with unnecessary details of the treats and laughter he'd gotten from odd passers-by, and the nearly-comical story of how the ageing Chansey finally ran out of steam and had to take a break.

As we near the exit, the one-sided conversation turned to dinner. As Pichu rambles on about food, and missing Pokéblocks, my stomach starts to growl when I realize that we haven't actually had a proper lunch. In the middle of Pichu describing a sweet that a passerby gave him (it was red, shiny and in a wrapper, Riolu, did you know that you can't eat wrappers? I always thought – ), my patience finally ran out.

"Would you want some Chansey pouch-eggs?" I ask exasperatedly.

Pichu halted. "Wait, you can eat those?"

I snort. "I sure hope you can. After spending so much time in a Chansey's pouch, you'd be turning into one any day, sooner or later."

I continued walking, but Pichu remained frozen, motionless. Looking backwards, he had stopped mid-step, and he was positively trembling. It seems like not having Gardevoir around boosted his gullibility meter again. This would be fun.

"Wish it'll be sooner. I'm hungry, too, you know." I offered helpfully, deliberately running the tip of my tongue across the edge of my mouth.

Grabbing the still-frozen Pichu by the paw, I amble off back towards the Inn, my mood considerably brighter. I can't help but suppress a grin as Pichu's distressed wail of "But I don't want to be an egg ~!" suddenly echoes through the entire compound.

It's a little more effective than I hoped it would be – Pichu has completely stopped talking. Instead, now he's trying his best not to sob, but it comes across as an odd, choking noise, repeated twice every five seconds.

"Quiet," I shush him. Already some people are starting to take notice. It always works: his threat of tears. I can't believe how many times he's gotten his way with the humans because of this. Pichu's probably very cunning; just that he doesn't know it. Or pretends not to.

"Okay, fine, sheesh," I roll my eyes. "I was just kidding you."

Pichu murmurs something through muffled sobs that sounds like "I knew it". He still seems very shaken, sniffling as he shuffles across the cold tiles.

We break out of the Pokémon Center, and are greeted by a blast of icy wind. There's no snow falling just yet, but there are clouds rolling over the horizon. The streets are half-deserted, with only a few residents milling about and some children playing on the streets.

And suddenly, the weather has taken a turn for the bitterly cold. I breathe out, a small cloud twirling into existence near my muzzle. Watching the cloud tear itself into fragments in the wind, an idea materializes in my head.

"Okay, I'll make it up to you," I say, shivering a little in the cold weather. Turning to Pichu, I point down the street, in the general direction of the Inn. "Let's have a friendly little race. You know, to get the blood pumping, maybe warm ourselves up a little."

"A race?" Pichu cocks his head to a side, but I can sense his competitive side's interested. "But that's not fair, you know Quick Attack –"

"What sort of Pokémon do you think I am?" I ask incredulously, putting on a hurt voice and an indignant expression.

Ignoring Pichu's half-hearted protests, I shrug and point at a sideroad. "Fine, if you don't trust me so much, I'll take an alternate route. I'll take a longer path through there, down past the bakery, TM shop and towards the Park, and then circle all the way back," I explain, sketching out the route in midair.

Pichu seems content, and a slight smile starts to creep over his face. He nods, going on all fours and placing a paw in front, mimicking a runner ready to start. "I'm going to thrash you so badly, not even your Quick Attack'll help," he sneered at me, trying to talk me down.

Psh. Amateur. I hold back the urge to roll my eyes while readying myself on all fours.

"Yeah, yeah, good luck with that. Ready?" I say, glancing at him. "Last one to reach the Inn is a rotten…"

I pause.

"…egg."

I take off running, laughing, loving the sound of Pichu's distressed wail from behind me.

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"I win! I win! I win!"

"Firstly, you've said that before. Many, many times. Secondly, you can't dance, so you shouldn't, really. Thirdly, that was thirty minutes ago, so I'd very much appreciate it if you'd just stop."

"But Riolu…" Pichu grinned deviously. "You lost the race! You challenged me to one and you lost!…"

"It's just a race, Pichu," I groan, shaking my head. Both his high-pitched voice and the _clangs_ coming from the construction site are getting on my nerves, and neither is good for my growing headache. The route was far longer than I had expected, and – to be honest – I had actually used Quick Attack to speed me along the last stretch. Seems that it wasn't enough.

"A Buneary blocked my way."

Pichu rolls his eyes. "Big deal. Unless…" His eyes sparkle. "Oh hoho, Riolu! I didn't know you were like that!"

I blink at him, confused. "What?"

Not letting go of such a golden opportunity, Pichu continues, cooing sweetly. "So… is it going to be a June wedding? Are you inviting me? Are you inviting Hitmonlee? Can I be the best Mon?"

"I – _what_?"

Pichu rolls over laughing. "Aww come on! Did the Buneary block your way or did you block hers?..."

Indignantly, I reply. "It was a _male _Buneary."

There was a short pause, before Pichu purses his lips. "My, my, Riolu."

I give up, throwing my paws into the air, refusing to pursue the subject any further. Living with Pichu, I learn to recognize when a conversation's been twisted so far out of its original context that it's better off dead. While Pichu cackles, I try to steer the topic back on point.

"And anyway, a small rockslide occurred on my route. Nearly killed me, to boot. So that delayed me quite a fair bit. Happy now?" I offer hotly. I wasn't lying – the image of the cracked boulders spilled across the road still remained vividly etched into my mind; mighty stones that had exploded violently into crumbly debris.

Even though it's not that cold out, I shiver. I abruptly sit down, wrapping both paws around my body; rocking back and forth just a little bit. Outside, light snow falls, shimmering in the dying sunlight.

I expect Pichu to _tch_ disapprovingly, but surprisingly, he sobers up. "Yeah, really? I thought I felt a little tremor. Good to know my mind isn't losing it," he shakes his head forcefully. "You're still alive, at any rate." I look at him, a little concerned. It's strange when Pichu acts that way.

An instant later, he's back to his overly-cheerful self. "But Riolu – that doesn't change the fact that you lost! And I win, I win, I wi –"

The little bit of concern I had for him evaporates.

"Bet I could take you down in a battle, too!" Pichu goes on to ramble. "What with you having such a lousy record, I'm sure I'll be able to kick your sorry butt from here to – " He goes on to talk more about how awesome he is compared to me, but I take nothing else in.

Oh, he's gone and done it this time.

"What?" I hiss, suddenly serious. "Is that a challenge?"

Pichu smirks and nods, knowing he has me by the collar. I know it too, but like an angry little puppy, I simply allow myself to be dragged wherever he wants to go. "Yup. Bet I could fend you off in a one-on-one fight. What about a nice spar? We haven't had any in a long time."

He smiles, leaning in closer. "And anyway, you could always need some help, hm? You've never been too good in battles now, haven't you?"

Very irritated, I defend myself hotly. "Of course I can! I'll spar with you any day of the week!"

"Good, it's settled then. I knew you wouldn't back down." I bare my fangs at him, but Pichu shrugs it off. He takes a long sip from his cup, obviously enjoying the moment. "As to the place, I've got an idea already."

True to form, I detect waves of smugness and – and is that a trace of fear? – emanating from him. I raise an eyebrow questioningly. Pichu seems to read my mind exactly, and nods. "Somewhere where I know you won't have the advantage this time around. It'll frighten you out of your bones."

I _tch_. I didn't know Pichu was prone to exaggeration.

"And where is this fabled place?" I mock. "The Pokémon Center? Because, you know, that's the perfect place for Pokémon to be fighting. Very easy for you to be healed, I believe, after I beat you to a pulp. Or what, have you somewhere scarier than that?"

Pichu doesn't seem fazed by my taunts. Instead, the waves of malicious glee grow a little, along with that increasing sense of fear. I tasted Pichu's fear, and it stuck, leaving a ghastly taste in my mind, feeding my own fear and making it grow.

"The cliff." Pichu points out dramatically across the snowy landscape. In front of the Inn, not a far distance away, was the familiar, yet unfamiliar wood of trees we had just passed through, in our escape from Navy-Blue. Our escape away from the scene of death.

"The cliff where Gallade died."

This time, I spoke my mind.

"Are you insane?"

Pichu purses his lips thoughtfully. "I'll need to get back to you on that one."

I make a noise of disgust, turning away from the electric mouse, talking as I walk off. "Not funny, Pichu. I don't even want to know why you'll want to revisit that place. Nothing but memories, all of them bad. Is it my fear?" I suddenly turn back, only to glare at his back. "You were mighty scared there, too, you know."

He doesn't reply.

"Come on, Pichu." I layer my voice with steel. "Don't take me for such a fool. I know you better than that. The spar's only a convenient excuse to get to the cliff. To get me to the cliff."

He still doesn't' reply.

"Going to hurl me off like you did Gallade?"

"It wasn't me!" Pichu suddenly yells back, twisting around, electricity cracking around his cheeks. Without a second's thought, the bright light arcs from his body to where I stand. Instinctively, I dodge, painful memories of the Trainer's evasion lessons suddenly surfacing, and the bolt strikes the ground where I was a split second ago.

My fist connects directly with Pichu's torso, sending him flying across the room and into a nearby wall. At the same time, his electricity stings my paw, forcing me to double over, clutching it in pain. The electric mouse thuds against the wall and collapses in a heap.

"It wasn't me," Pichu gasps, staggering to his feet. I hold back another punch, but still glare at him with a steady eye.

"Then why?"

"I want to investigate."

"I thought we went through this, Pichu," I sigh, with the air of explaining something simple to a child, "…that we can't. This is out of our hands. After that incident where Hitmonlee and Gardevoir nearly tried to kill each other, they're not going to be in the best of moods. And who're you going to interview this time? The trees?"

"Exactly."

I pause to look at him. His eyes are set, a little uncertain after my words, but still certain enough that he will go through with his plan – whatever it is – nonetheless. He drops his voice, making sure no one else was around.

"We'll investigate all around. Footprints, pawprints, whatever. Scratches on the trees. Disturbances in the snow. We might hit upon something, anything – something that will get us closer to the truth. I don't want to be kept in the dark anymore."

"If the truth could take down Gallade, I don't exactly want a confrontation with it," I shoot back. "Think about it. What if it's the creepy sound we heard that day? A Pokémon? A human? What do we do then, huh?"

My dissuading won't work – out of all times, Pichu chooses this to try to be the bigger Mon (ha) and to be giving long speeches about overcoming danger and his own personal fears. I shake my head exasperatedly, irritated that the message isn't penetrating Pichu's thick skull.

"Look, you're a mouse, I'm two and a half feet tall. No one's going to take us seriously. And what if we really do find out?" I grip him by the shoulders, shaking him a little. "The best case scenario is we don't find who did it. The worst case scenario is that we end up dead!"

"I don't care!"

"You really want to do this? How do you know that we won't meet Gallade a little earlier than expected, in a wooden box six feet under?"

And the reply is one of shaky, yet stern confidence.

"I don't!"

Surprise, surprise. There's something you learn everyday about people and Pokémon you thought you knew. For example, that Pichu could be so obstinate.

"Look, this is going to be suicide." I pace up and down in front of the Inn gates, waiting impatiently for them to open. Thanks to our race, the Inn isn't yet open for our dinner, even though my stomach is growling. Pichu hears it, and giggles. The sound is unnatural in the heavy atmosphere.

"I want to get to the bottom of this. I'm going to go myself, right now." Pichu plants a paw down firmly in front of him, the way he is when he tries to be obstinate. I grasp my head in my paws, trying to shake myself awake.

When I look up again, the mouse is gone.

A scattering of prints in the snow indicates where Pichu has run off, in the direction of the woods nearby. I swore in my mind, muttering curses under my breath, dropping to all fours and quickly closing the distance between us.

"Pichu, wait up!"

Pichu stops, looking over his shoulder at me panting up to him. For a second there I see my own grin on his face, my smugness emanating from his body. Just like that time (seemingly so long ago) where I asked him to go to the exact same cliff – no, the exact same spot – with me.

"I know you'd come," he says with a knowing grin that suddenly sent a shiver down my spine.

And then he was off.

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In a few minutes, we are at the same spot again. The vista greets us once again like old friends – silently, majestically, and in spite of Pichu's bravado and my uneasiness we are both stunned into silence. The marvelous carpet of trees below us are still as amazing as before.

Except now, the sky is tinged with a slight shade of blood-red.

It's a few seconds before any of us can make a move. "Beautiful sky," Pichu's voice drifted into my hearing range. I turn to look at him, a quizzical look on my face.

"Well, we're not here to appreciate the blazing sun, so yeah." Pichu turned away from the cliff, leaving me at the precipice. I glance down, once, quickly, then looking away before the fear claimed my legs and my sanity.

"Right then," I say, still trying to look at the edge out of the corner of my eyes. I forcibly tear myself away, feeling a sort of pain when my eyes attempt to look at something out of their range of vision.

"What now, genius?" I mock, dragging my forepaws and tail across the light layer of snow. "We've just ran across the entire forest, leaving behind our fresh tracks. The ground has been stamped on more times than you have been in battles. How are you going to decipher what happened last night?"

"I, uh –" Pichu looks around him, at the messed-up, dirty snow. "Hm."

I flop down onto the snow, feeling the _crunch_ of the snow against my paws.

"I know what we could find," he suddenly brightens up. Without warning, he falls onto all fours, and starts scrabbling about in the snow, some distance away from me, kicking up snow in the air like some kind of manual snow-clearing machine.

I lean back in the snow, closing my eyes. This could take some time. The last time Pichu tried to track down his lost berry, he managed to dig up large holes in someone else's lawn, believing that the berry had been buried by an opportunistic Pachirisu. We had quickly skipped town after that.

"…the murder weapon!" Pichu crows triumphantly. My heart skips a beat, and I quickly leap over to see what Pichu held in one paw, high up in the air. My eyes immediately focus on the object in his grasp, preparing for the worst.

"…it's a stick."

Pichu held it in front of his nose. "Well, yeah."

I cross my forepaws and tap the ground impatiently. "There's a billion and one other sticks out there. And what, do you really think Gallade, the oh-so-mighty, Mister "Come-at-me-with-a-Hyper-Beam,-I-won't-budge" Gallade would be beaten senseless and whacked off a cliff with a twig?"

"What's more, no one found any signs of physical injury on Gallade. Well… except for the fact that his entire front was crushed from impact."

"How'd you know?" Pichu was curious.

I pointed to my ears. "I overheard Navy-Blue. You should probably pay attention more, what you hear might actually come in handy sometime."

"Hmph. Anyway, I still think Exhibit A here is responsible," he huffs, holding the stick in his paw, brandishing it at me like some weapon. "So this is what I think happened last night…"

_Gallade walked over to the edge of the cliff. The cliff Gardevoir specifically told him not to go to. _Crazed Pokémon, believing in her dreams so, thinking that someone out there would be able to get me! _He thought smugly, crunching through the snow as he made his way to the edge._

_As soon as he got there, he was mesmerized by the beautiful scenery that lay ahead of him. _What a sight!_ He thought, followed by _The nerve of Gardevoir, not to share it with me…

_He was so amazed and lost in his own thoughts, that he didn't hear the unknown figure creeping up behind him. He realized it a little too late, whipping around in shock and horror, squealing like a newly-hatched Pokémon in his surprise._

_But it was all futile, because the unknown figure poked Gallade with a stick square in the chest. Gallade stumbled backwards, wheeling his arms in the air frantically as he tried to keep his balance. _

_But of course, his big, egoistical head eventually imbalanced him, sending him toppling over the edge and into the loving embrace of the hard ground below._

…Pichu grinned. "Ta da. What do you think?"

I stared at him, jaw agape.

"Come on," urged Pichu, tugging on my forepaw. "Tell me how awesome you think it is!"

"That…" I finally find my voice. "…is the worst theory I've ever heard. And that includes your 'The Trainer accidentally stabbed himself in the back while he was sleeping, and couldn't be bothered to wake up' theory."

Pichu _hmphs_ childishly, dropping his gaze to stare at the stick. "I still insist it was a valid theory."

"Give it up, Pichu," I urge. "Look, there's nothing you could use for evidence, except for a stick you plucked from the ground and a story you plucked from thin air."

"I'm still thinking about it," Pichu says stubbornly. "'sides, it's more than what the official police are doing now," he retorts. "Seems like the winter over here has made them grow icicles in their brains."

I chuckle a little; it's not like Pichu to be so biting. Maybe the cold is getting to all of us. The sun having set, the darkness comes quickly in Snowpoint, and right now dusk is starting to look pretty intimidating. Soon we won't be able to see anything one paw's-length away.

From what seems like far off, I hear the loud _bong_ of the city's clock tower chanting the time. Tapping in time to the beat, I turn to Pichu, who is still staring at the stick in the growing blackness of night.

"Time to go, Pichu."

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We made it just in time, before the Innkeeper closed the gate. She must have been half-blind, half-deaf or heartless (I'm guessing all three, just to be sure), but we squeezed in through the gate just as she was pushing it shut. Pichu lost a bit of fur on the end of his tail, but he'll be fine.

"See? If you had listened to me, we wouldn't have been in such a rush."

"Save it," Pichu pants, getting a plate and loading it with Pokéblock.

"Psh. And what do you have to show for your work today? A grazed tail and a stick. I still can't understand why you insist on carrying that thing around. Good thing for you the Innkeeper doesn't seem to care." I settle down beside him.

Pichu opens his mouth to reply, but before he can get further than "Well, I –", the door of the Inn swings open with a thud. Involuntarily, we both turn to look, food and conversation forgotten.

"Gardevoir!"

With one voice, our bickering suddenly ceases. Pichu leaps down from his chair, scampering over to where Gardevoir is. Framed in the doorway, the older Pokémon looks a little unstable, still bearing swathes of bandages here and there, but alive – still alive and almost-well.

She smiles a little as Pichu skids to a halt in front of her. But I notice that after bending down to pat him on the head, Gardevoir struggles to stand upright, her hand grasping at the door frame for additional support. She walks forward, limping a little in her left leg, but the bandage around her foot unfolds to reveal an almost-healed bruise.

"Miss me?" Gardevoir smiles wryly at us. I look back at her, flooded with multiple emotions all at the same time. She looks physically worse – not in the sense of just being beaten up – but a little more tired, a little more worn, a little more – odd – than before.

The thought doesn't stay long, though; because another thought pushes it out of the way.

"Miss _me_?"

The brown Pokémon pushed his way past Gardevoir, a little roughly. Hitmonlee didn't even bother to look at us, marching off towards the stairs. Halfway there, however, he turned around and doubled back to the table.

"Dinner, eh?" I nod.

"Good." He swipes my plate of Pokéblock in his good hand, stomping upstairs with a swagger in his step. Perhaps he likes to be reminded that he's still the same old Hitmonlee everyone knows and hates.

We hear him clatter noisily up the stairs and slam his door. The lock turns.

Gardevoir shrugs a little. "Leave him be. He's a little irritable right now."

"No kidding," mutters Pichu. Louder, he pipes up: "So, how are you? Feeling better?"

Gardevoir grasped at her left shoulder with her right hand. "A little sore, but nothing much to it. The Nurse says I should be back to my normal self within a day or two. Right now, though, my foot's a little sore, so I can't move around too much."

"Your leg?" Both of us stare at it. Being closer to our eye-level, it makes things much easier.

Gardevoir nodded once. "Yeah, I think so. Apparently, must have knocked it against something, or I fell on it. I don't quite remember now. You know what?" she suddenly straightens up; "I think I should go rest. For once, that Hitmonlee might just have the right idea."

"What about dinner?"

"They gave us some at the Center. They sent us back too – didn't want us to walk our way back, apparently. We got discharged maybe an hour ago, but they sure took their time in making the needed arrangements."

So saying, she swept past us, ascending the stairs and disappearing out of sight. The Innkeeper, meanwhile, grumbles about random Pokémon barging in late at night, having to open the gates for the Center ambulance, and about the rising cost of funeral proceedings.

I yawn, snapping my jaw shut with a snap. "I'd probably join them soon. We'd better finish up fast, before the Innkeeper uses you as a tablecloth."

My Teammate _tsks _at the comment, shaking his head. "She'd rather use you. Riolu pelts are more absorbent." But nonetheless, he leaps onto his chair, and begins eating his food.

"Funny," I laugh. I pull myself back up on the table, wondering whether the food will give me sweet dreams like last night's. Sweet dreams, of course, until Hitmonlee and Pichu came a-hammering at my door.

Pichu moves a couple of dry food pellets on his plate. Playing with them like trains, he arranges and rearranges them into shapes, making vague train-noises and collision sounds under his breath like an overgrown newborn. A little "train" mashes into the other, smooshing both pellets together, out of shape, while Pichu whispers a "_boooom_", thoroughly enjoying himself.

He catches sight of me watching, and quickly turns beet red.

"What're you lookin' at?" he snaps, hastily – but a little too late – pushing a couple of pellets into his mouth and chewing frantically.

I shrug nonchalantly, arching an eyebrow and giving him a knowing smile. "Oh, nothing." I pick at my food as if nothing has happened, finishing up a couple of Oran berries quickly. Pichu doesn't say anything else: choosing instead to go back and finish his food in silence.

"Don't play with your food. You know what they say."

"I wasn't!" Pichu indignantly protests, voice muffled through a cheek full of food. "I'm not so childish. You're the one who always builds towers out of your Pokéblock."

"Ah," I shake a paw at him, "but that's architectural beauty and a display of creative power. Playing _train-goes-boom-boom_ with your pellets? Not really."

Pichu _hmphs_ and goes back to his food, grumbling under his breath.

But soon, curiosity does get the better of him. As it always does, and as it always will. He squirmed in his seat the entire meal. But when dinner's drawing to a close, and night has completely blanketed the town, he finally decides to raise the question that's been eating away at him.

"But Riolu, what _do_ they say?"

"Hm?" I feign ignorance, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"You know. About people who play with their food. Not that I ever do, of course," he hastily added.

"Ahh – are you sure you want to know? If you don't know, maybe it's best that you shouldn't." I push myself off the chair, carrying my empty plate off to the kitchen. When I return, Pichu fixes me with a stare from his seat.

"Tell me," he demands. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

I shrug. "Depends on whether you're too much of a scaredy-Skitty."

Pichu pulled a face. "I'm definitely not! Fact is, I'd probably be more, uh – uh, _not_ scared than you! Uh – and compared to me, you're – you're a scaredy – scaredy…" He scratches his head, still thinking about the best insult he could throw my way today. "You're a scaredy Slowpoke!"

I nod wryly. "Uh huh. Sure. Your eloquence is amazing."

"Anyway, Riolu. What is this big secret of yours? A Pokédollar for your thoughts."

"Like you've got any money to spare."

Pichu scowls. "You know, I'm going to keep bothering you until you tell me."

That was new news. "Well," I rub my chin with a paw, looking pensive. "You make a good point. I was intending on getting some sleep tonight."

He brightens up. "So you'll talk?"

"Yes, yes. Gather around, children."

Pichu leans in close to me excitedly, his ear next to my muzzle. I grasp it in a paw, ready to whisper.

"Those who play with their food… soon become food themselves." I step back, wearing a haunted expression on my face and pulling it into an incredibly sad, scared shape. "There. Scared now? Don't say I didn't warn you beforehand."

There's a near-silence, the only sound being the night wind whistling outside the Inn. For some reason, all sound in the Inn suddenly seems to have dimmed down a little.

"Gar- Gardevv- " Pichu mumbles, trying to get himself to call Gardevoir, and restore some sense into the crazy words I'm telling him. The little guy's terrified, but trying so hard not to show it. He's largely failing, though, he's shaking, trembling, and can't string together a coherent word to save his sanity.

"Shhh, don't call her," I whisper, pressing a paw to Pichu's muzzle.

Pichu's protests die away into nothing.

"I've seen many Ralts go like that…" I drop my voice to a low, ominous tone. "It's well-known these cute, smaller-sized Pokémon usually – well – go like that… She might have had a similar experience when younger, as a Ralts. We don't want to wake up bad memories now, wouldn't we?"

Pichu nodded slowly, my paw still over his mouth.

"Besides, I'm a little surprised you didn't know. What with… you know… Pichus being picked off pretty often."

An odd silence falls on the both of us.

A sudden _clang_ of metal on metal from outside breaks it. Is that Magneton still working?

"But oh well, no worries. Probably a whole lot of hearsay anyway," I say, brightening up, grinning, putting on that bubbly voice once again. Pichu, unsurprisingly, doesn't share my enthusiasm. "Time for bed, Pichu! You know the Innkeeper doesn't like it when you stay up too late!" I continue chirpily, unnaturally happy.

When Pichu doesn't show any signs of relaxing, I reassure him playfully. "Ahh, you're always so serious. I'm just teasing. You'll be mostly fine,"

"Y-You sure, Riolu? Really?" he murmurs, clinging onto me slightly. His paws grasp at my fur. I think he pulled off some tufts.

"Yeah, yeah," I try to peel him off of me, slowly. Don't want to lose more fur than I already do. "Don't worry so much. You're going to kill yourself with a heart attack one day."

"Huh," Pichu sniffles a little, wiping his nose with the back of his paw. "J-Just so you know, I'm planning to outlive you. If the Trainer were still around, I bet you'd be killed in your next battle. Hmph. So there." He punctuates that statement by sticking his tongue out childishly. I bristle inwardly at that comment, but outwardly I shrug, turning to go. At least he's let go of me, finally.

As Pichu picks up his small plate, I call over my shoulder. "Oh yeah, just one more thing. Stay indoors more. You know, away from windows, the sky, and stuff. Take it from someone who was wild once."

Pichu tilted his head slightly, still inquisitive as ever. The fearful look crept back into his face, slowly, showing slightly in the nervous twitch of his features. "Indoors, away from windows?… Wait – w-why?"

"Oh, that's how a childhood friend of mine went. I just remembered. Was a pretty cheerful guy, just like you, too. A small little Pokémon, no taller than you or I, and as adorable as anything. One day, he decided a quick nap in an open clearing, near a lake, with no one else around. That's how he went."

"Went? Wh-what do you mean?"

I make a sweeping motion with my free paw, going _Caaaaawwwwww_… then clenching it tightly, vehemently, in mid-sweep; catching something invisible in my grasp, complete with strangling and choking coughs. After a second or two, I released my fist, letting it fall limply back to my side, shrugging back at Pichu resignedly with a half-smile on my face.

"He never did see that Fearow coming."

Without another word, I run up the stairs into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. Behind me, Pichu suddenly breaks out into a hysterical scream, the plate clatters shrilly on the table, and Magneton's rhythmic _clangs_ are suddenly interrupted by a clap of thunder.

The rain falls, dots against my window, the _patter-patter_ lulling everyone to sleep.

Soon, it morphs into a great roar, the little animal growing to a fearsome beast, drumming down on window panes and walls with a vengeance. I am not a fanciful person, but I could have sworn that there's something in that rain makes my fur stand on end.

Maybe it's Gallade, his ethereal voice shouting against the storm and the wind.

Magneton keeps working. Through my open window comes the grating sound of metal against metal, ringing out dimly in the roaring rain, oddly in time of the crash of the cymbals in the sky.


	4. Devastation's Doorway

**This chapter is written by lupyne, and is reproduced here with permission.**

The world is ending.

Loud crashes fill the air, accompanying the sound of unceasing rain as it plays with the thunder like an ominous orchestra. In the middle of it all, there comes the sound of breaking glass, barely audible over the ruckus. I barely register the screams that soon come from elsewhere in the Inn – instead, I focus on maintaining my balance as the ground continues shaking violently.

Land and sky are acting up – the source of the breaking glass becomes apparent as I notice that a long iron beam has crashed its way through the half-open window and into my room, lodging itself firmly onto the ground. The rain has deemed it sensible to enter my compartment through the broken window, and I shake my body to get rid of the droplets that have latched onto my fur.

A shiver runs down my spine, and it has nothing to do with the cold. The scaffolding propped up next to my room has collapsed, which explains the crashes. I definitely should complain to the Innkeeper – what if I had been squashed by that beam? I guess she has never really thought about the safety of her guests.

A violent shake causes me to stumble. I manage to regain my balance easily, but I felt a piercing pain from the underside of my foot. Examining it, I cursed when I notice a cut due to my stepping on a shard of the broken window. It is a small one, but it drew blood all the same, and now I have to endure a stinging sensation as I walk. Just great.

Nonetheless, I figure it would be prudent to get out of the building quickly, lest it collapses with me in it. I wouldn't put it past the Innkeeper to have scrimped on the construction of this building.

I hurry out of my room, dripping a trail of rainwater as I walk. Pichu and Hitmonlee are already in the hallway, looking frantic – I can still see the drool on Pichu's chin; he probably just woke up. Magneton and Gardevoir, however, are nowhere in sight.

"What's going on?" Pichu asks me, as though I have all the answers.

"An iron beam crashed through my window and almost impaled me! What do you think is going on?"

"That's horrible…" Hitmonlee says, shaking his head.

I look up at him, unsure if I have heard correctly.

"Too bad it missed."

I knew it. "Come on, Pichu, let's get out of here before we turn into pancakes."

The little rodent did not protest. Together – with Hitmonlee behind us, cackling – we run down the stairs, and head straight for the front door. Several other Pokémon are fleeing as well, everyone pushing one another in their desperate bid at escaping out of the deathtrap.

Being some of the tiniest ones, Pichu and I got shoved. A lot. We manage to exit in time though, joining the large group that has assembled outside. The Innkeeper is standing alone, staring worriedly at her building and muttering gibberish under her breath instead of ensuring that all her guests are safe and sound. Great display of responsibility there.

Pokémon are chatting loudly among themselves, some terrified while others are seemingly excited (why? I will never know). All of us are being drenched in the rain and I can see a few Fire-types looking uncomfortable, but being outside is definitely safer, despite the tremors having already weakened.

"Is everyone all right?" I hear a voice say from my left, and I turn to see Gardevoir hurrying over to us. She appears to be flustered, but unharmed.

"I'm fine," I reply, while Pichu nods besides me. Hitmonlee made no reply, choosing instead to fold his arms and stare at the building like the Innkeeper.

"I never thought an earthquake would occur in the middle of the night," Gardevoir says, shaking her head. "It seems like no one was hurt though, so that's a good thing. In fact, I think there was no damage done."

"No damage? Didn't you hear the crashes? The scaffolding by my room collapsed, and I was almost killed by a stray beam. I was lucky to have survived, though I did cut my leg stepping on broken glass."

Hitmonlee smirks. "Quit whining, baby."

Heat rushes to my cheeks as I glare at him, trying to come up with a witty retort, despite knowing that I would only get beaten up for it. I swear, one of these days…

Gardevoir was quick to intervene. "All right, all right, calm down." She glances around the three of us, and then says, "Have any of you seen Magneton?"

"No." I pause for a moment. Come to think of it, when was the last time I have seen him anyway? It seems like so long ago. "I remember hearing him working away into the night though. Strange fellow."

"Working?" she asks, and I detected a note of fear in her voice. "Where?"

"Working on the construction somewhere, I suppose. Got to be near my room though, since all that loud clanging and banging kept me awake for a long time. I only just got to sleep and then this had to happen."

She considers this for a moment. "Riolu, you said the scaffolding near your bedroom collapsed, right? What if…"

Gardevoir did not need to complete her sentence. Pichu clutches tightly onto my arm, his eyes wide as saucers. I try to shove him away, but found myself unable to do anything as a sudden image of Magneton getting crushed by all those heavy beams flashes in my mind.

"Maybe… maybe we should go check," I say, my voice shaking slightly. "I'm sure he's just floating around somewhere though. He's probably searching for us at this very moment."

Gardevoir scans the crowd once more before nodding. "Yes, let's find him." She turns to Hitmonlee and pauses. I can tell that there is still some animosity between the two after what has happened earlier in the day, but apparently she forces herself to swallow it in light of the current situation. "Are you coming with us?"

The Fighting-type unfolds his arms and grunts. His way of saying 'yes'.

And so our search begins. We reached an unspoken agreement as to where to search first: the construction area close by my room. Based on the ominous statement by Gardevoir earlier though, I'm sure all of us were hoping that we _wouldn't _find Magneton there… _Well, some of us_, I think to myself as I glance at the aloof Hitmonlee. I am sure the memory of the assault earlier that day is still fresh on his mind.

The rain begins to lighten up as we run around the Inn. For such a heavy downpour, it was quite short-lived, but I'm not complaining. We round the corner, Gardevoir in the lead, and then stopped suddenly in our tracks as the scene of destruction comes into full view.

I knew it was bad, but wow. I mean, if the construction crew were here to see this, they would weep. All the time and effort they have placed in this project… gone, just like that. Right in front of us is what remained of it – a huge pile of wreckage, with beams, poles and whatnot sticking out here and there. High above the wreckage is the single iron beam which has invited itself into my room, looking odd sticking out from my broken window like that. For some reason, the whole thing reminds me of a kid building up a house with toy bricks, only to kick it apart after completing it.

I stand rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do. There is no sign of Magneton anywhere, though I'm not sure how I should feel about that. It took me a while to realise that my immobility is attributed to a fear which has inexplicably gripped me without warning. I feel my legs tense, ready to turn heel and run away from the scene.

Gardevoir then speaks, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Let's… let's take a look among the rubble."

Her suggestion is met with silence. I am sure we were all already thinking about it, but for Gardevoir to say that seems to cement the fact that there is a possibility we might never see our metal companion hover about with his eccentric ways again.

Hitmonlee and Gardevoir both move towards the pyramid-like wreckage, removing what they could and placing them aside as they begin their search. Looking to my right, I can see that Pichu is not keen on picking apart the rubble either. Perhaps it is the fear of what we might find…

"Oi!" Hitmonlee yells from the top of the pile, glaring right at us both. "Why don't you two make yourselves useful and start searching!"

Biting back a retort, I glance at Pichu. He appears to be terrified, but he gives me a slight nod and pads over to the debris. I sigh – if even Pichu is willing to help search, I know I have no chance of worming my way out of this. I walk up to join the little rodent, but he shakes his head and point to the other side.

"I think we can search faster if we split up," Pichu reasons.

Darn. Gritting my teeth, I head to the far end and begin pulling away a few iron rods. For once, I am glad of my short stature – there is a huge steel bar in front of me, blocking me from view of the others and enabling me to work as slowly as possible.

The sound of the rubble shifting reverberates in the air suddenly just as I was pulling out a broken toolbox, and I glance up in curiosity. To my horror, I see the wreckage at the top of the pile beginning to slide down towards me – and that includes the giant bar which I was grateful for earlier.

I leap backwards just as the bar falls on the spot I was standing on with a huge _whumph_. My heart beating wildly, I look up to see that Hitmonlee has deemed it a good idea to shove off the top of the wreckage to speed up his search.

"Hey!" I yell, unable to restrain myself anymore. "What's the big idea?"

Hitmonlee stares down at me, apparently not realising what he has almost done. "What?"

"What did you cause that avalanche for? I was almost squashed! Couldn't you see me working over here?"

"Well, let me think for a second," he says, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "No. I'm pretty sure I didn't see you… _working_. Quit slacking off already!" He goes back to pulling out stuff from the pile. "All you ever do is whine, whine, whine – complain, complain, complain!"

Ripples of anger flooded my mind at his words, and I instantly begin to concoct methods of (slow) torture I would like to see Hitmonlee subjected to. Just as I am picturing him being impaled by the iron pole by my side, the Fighting-type pulls out an object which causes all my bottled anger to implode.

In his right hand is a horseshoe magnet, one tip red and the other blue.

Hitmonlee peers down at the magnet without moving while I stare at it with my mouth agape. The other two continues to work, clearly unaware of Hitmonlee's discovery. As if in a trance, I make my way slowly up the pile to where the Fighting-type is. "This… looks horribly familiar."

"You think?" he says, in a brave attempt at scorn, though his voice came out strained.

Automatically, it seems, our eyes move down to stare at the pile of wreckage.

It stares back.

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**Chapter Four: Devastation's Doorway**

"_All is silent. Not even a heartbeat. Not even mine."_

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Pichu sits by my side, uncharacteristically silent and determined to stare everywhere else except the middle of the lobby, where the pieces of Magneton has been placed. Pieces, in the plural.

Several of his magnet-shaped arms have fallen off, one of which Hitmonlee have picked up earlier. There are still a few more which we failed to find – they're probably somewhere within the rubble outside. We did recover the bodies, however. Three of them, in fact – an outsider might very well have thought that it had been three Magnemites who died instead. Two of the bodies were cracked, while the other one had a screw loose.

Ever wondered what a Magneton looked like in the inside?

You don't want to find out.

I let out a yawn as I turn to the Innkeeper, who is grumbling about how long the police are taking to get here. She was quite shocked when the group pulled out the remains of Magneton from the rubble, but it appears to me that she is more concerned about the damage to her property. No doubt the destruction of the Inn's construction area will have set her back quite a bit financially, but still…

"Well," Hitmonlee announces to no one in particular, throwing his hands up. "I'm going back to bed."

Without so much as a glance back at us, he heads towards the stairs and disappears. The only ones left in the lobby are Pichu, Gardevoir, the Innkeeper, and me. And Magneton too, looking like parts of an unassembled toy.

I felt a nudge on my shoulder.

"Riolu…"

Pichu is looking at me with wide, fearful eyes. "What?" I ask.

"Magneton's dead…" he whispers. "He's dead!"

I pause for a moment and stare at the Electric-type. Is he insane? Oh wait. He is. "Yes, I know, Pichu," I say slowly in what I deem to be a kind, fatherly tone. "Magneton is dead. Welcome to fifteen minutes ago."

"First the Trainer, then Gallade, and now this… what is going on?"

All right, I'll admit it. He's got a point. Things are certainly getting out of hand. "Let's see… the Trainer was murdered, that's for sure. Gallade…" I lower my voice and cast a quick glance at Gardevoir. She had her eyes close, paw pressed on her temple. "Navy-Blue doesn't seem to think foul play was involved. He seems to be leaning on suicide, but I suppose it could have been an accident as well…"

"And Magneton?" Pichu asks.

"Magneton was working in the construction area when the earthquake happened, and he was crushed by the things he loved so much."

Pichu hesitates. "Does that make it an accident, then?"

I shrug, leaning back on the wall and staring at the ceiling. "It seems so, doesn't it?" The little mouse bites his lower lip, seemingly bursting with something to say, and yet reluctant to do so. "Look, Pichu, if you have something on your mind, just say it. Don't beat around the bush."

"Don't you think it could have been murder?"

The thought has indeed crossed my mind, and I even anticipated that Pichu might arrive at that conclusion. I had my response ready. "But it's an earthquake, Pichu. These things happen. Remember yesterday, after our race? I told you that I was almost killed by a rockslide. You even said that you felt some tremors, didn't you?"

"Yes, but…" He looks away, fiddling with his paws absent-mindedly. After a few more seconds, he whispers, "There's something strange about this earthquake…"

His voice was extremely soft, and I'm not sure if he was talking to me or having a monologue. "Really? What's so strange about it?"

Pichu shakes his head. "I dunno." Despite his words, he appears to be thinking hard, a feat I never would have thought he was capable of. What thoughts could possibly be running through his little head? Is he hiding something from me?

I lean a little closer. "Hey, you can tell me, all right? What are you thinking of?"

"It's just… three deaths in such a short period of time?" He turns to me seriously, and it struck me how grown-up Pichu suddenly seemed. "How is that possible, Riolu? How?"

It is a question I have no answer to. Pichu continues, "When will it end?"

His words brought back memories of when Gardevoir told me of her vision. "_It's not over yet_." When, then, will this ordeal finally come to an end? When we're all six feet under?

Breaking out of my reverie, I notice that Pichu is no longer looking at me. Instead, he has finally summoned enough courage to stare at the fallen Magneton. His gaze is intense and unmoving, though he looks as though he might fall ill at any moment. I look past him at Gardevoir instead, and my heart skipped a beat – there was a flash of blue in her eyes, and she is panting heavily.

A vision. What has she seen this time?

Before I could probe further, there comes the sound of a car pulling up outside the Inn. The headlights shine through the window directly at my eyes, and I quickly squeeze them shut with a low growl. Minutes later, Navy-Blue and another policeman enter through the doorway, looking grim.

I grunt – him again.

A flicker of shock shot through the two men's faces when they caught sight of Magneton's corpse. Navy-Blue rubs his chin, appearing to be deep in thought. I can see the tiredness in his eyes, and I doubt it is because he had to work the night shift – these few days must have been tough on him. Well, I can relate. I have been lacking proper sleep lately.

"What happened?" he asks the Innkeeper with his eyes still on Magneton.

"An earthquake, that's what!" she replies harshly. "Took down the whole scaffolding the workers have been working on for months… I don't know what's worse – the fact that I have to pay them more or the fact that I have to put up with them all over again…"

I find it amusing how she little she seems to care about Magneton's death.

"An earthquake…" Navy-Blue turns to his partner, who whispers something in return. He nods and stares at the Innkeeper. "When did it happen?"

"Some twenty minutes ago. Around then. Couldn't you feel it, for heavens' sake?"

This time, it is Navy-Blue's partner who speaks up. "Lady, we didn't feel anything. We didn't receive any reports of earthquakes either – yours had been the only one. Either it was an incredibly small one, or it only affected your area."

"Cursed luck, that's what it is. Just take the Magnetron away already. Some of the other Pokémon were panicking earlier – I don't want them to see _that _here in the morning. The last thing I need is for everyone in the Inn to have a mental breakdown and cause a riot."

At the mention of Pokémon panicking, Navy-Blue turns towards us. He studies Gardevoir for a moment before eyeing Pichu. The mouse is playing with his paws again, though he appears to be contemplating something. Finally, the policeman's gaze falls on me. I stare back without blinking; we seem to be locked in a staring contest.

"Hang on," he says, turning towards the Innkeeper again. "Where's that Hitmonlee?"

"He was here earlier, but he has gone upstairs to sleep. I would like to do the same, so if you could please hurry it up a little…"

"All right, all right." He walks towards the middle of the room with his partner and squats down, placing his hand on the round, metallic surface of Magneton's body. I imagine it must have felt pretty cold. "Another one down… The boy, the Gallade, and now this…"

"Sir," his partner pipes up, "what do you think this means?"

Pichu and I glance at each other.

"Maybe the group's been cursed," Navy-Blue suggests with a small smile, though I couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "It really is strange… I wonder…" He rubs his chin, but does not expound further. "Something really needs to be done about this." He turns to the Innkeeper, "Keep an eye on the remaining four. I don't want to be picking up more dead bodies anytime soon. As for you three," he says to us, "try to forget what you've seen tonight and go back to sleep."

Neither of us moved a muscle. "Go on," he urges, jerking his head towards the stairway. With a grunt, I get on my feet and stretch, followed quickly by Pichu. Lastly, Gardevoir stands and glides up the stairs without so much as a goodbye, looking distraught.

"Shall we head up then?" I ask him. He nods, and we both make our way to the stairs. Before I take the first step up though, I turn back to cast one last glance at Magneton. Navy-Blue has rolled him a little, so that the Pokémon's singular eye is pointed straight at me.

Perhaps I am just being paranoid, but I feel that there is something sinister in the deceased Pokémon's stare. Shuddering, I tear my gaze away and shoot up the stairs. I bid goodnight to Pichu in the hallway and watch as the mouse enters his room, deep in thought. He's behaving rather strangely, but I have more pressing issues on my mind to worry about him.

After making sure that I am alone, I walk over to Gardevoir's room and knock on her door as softly as I could. Fortunately for me, she is still awake. The door creaks as she opens it just a crack.

"Riolu," she says. "Is anything the matter?"

"I have something I need to ask of you."

"What is it?"

I take a deep breath. "You had a vision downstairs, didn't you?"

She hesitates, but a small smile is playing on her lips. "I was wondering if you noticed."

"Well then… care to share what it was about? Did you see the murderer?"

"Murderer… of who?"

I stare at her blankly, unsure of how to answer that. "The Trainer, I suppose. Or… Gallade," I say tentatively, studying her expression. Thankfully, she remains passive despite the mention of her departed lover.

"I saw nothing of the sort. I just saw… a grave."

"A… what?" I rub my ear, unsure if I have heard correctly. "Did you say a grave? Whose?"

"I don't know. There was just a plain rock on top of it. There were no inscriptions or anything."

"Wait… so you just saw a rock. What made you think it was a grave?"

She shakes her head with slight irritation. "I can tell. The earth on it is different – as though it had been dug out and then refilled. Plus," she adds in a conclusive note, "there were lots of other tombstones in the area. I can only surmise that it was the cemetery."

"O—kay," I say slowly, folding my arms. "And what is so special about this particular grave?"

"I don't know. Possibly the fact that its tombstone is just an ordinary rock, I guess."

"But that doesn't really mean anything," I burst out impatiently. "It could be anyone under there! Didn't you see who it was? It could be important!"

"Riolu, if I knew, I would have told you," she says, a little coldly this time.

We lapse into silence, and I scrutinise her expression intently. She seems a little mad – I may have stepped out of my line, but a thought has just occurred to me. "Gardevoir… are you keeping something from me? You really didn't see anyone? You didn't see… me?"

She narrows her eyes. "What do you mean?"

I take another deep breath. "The grave. Was it… was it mine? Did you see me buried under there?"

Her expression softens. "No, Riolu… I truly did not see anything other than that. I know a lot has happened these days, but…" There is a distant look in her eyes. Despite her strong front, I can tell that she is still hurting from Gallade's death. "Don't worry. Just keep a look out, and I think we'll be fine."

She places a paw on my shoulder, and I nod. "All right… Thanks. You take care too. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Riolu."

She closes the door and I walk back to my room, lost in thoughts. A grave marked with an ordinary rock… what could that mean? I could make neither head nor tail of that premonition.

When I reach my room, I am momentarily surprised that the door was left open. Then I remember that I had not closed it in my haste to exit the building. The iron beam is still lodged through the broken window, through which a cold wind has also come to play.

Darn… I have meant to ask Pichu if I could sleep in his bedroom tonight, but it completely slipped my mind. Maybe I should just check if he's still awake… "Oh, a sleepover!" he would probably say, all excited. "We could nick some food from the kitchen and hide under the blanket and tell each other scary stories and –"

… Never mind.

Then again, Pichu seems to have changed after the discovery of Magneton's corpse. As I pull the covers up to my neck and close my eyes, I wonder to myself if he will ever be the same cheerful and happy-go-lucky rodent again.

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Yes. Yes, he would.

Pichu was sitting by himself in the corner when I enter the dining hall, apparently trying to see how many Pokéblocks he could stuff in his mouth at a time. Catching sight of me, he grins – though it looks more like a grimace, with his mouth full – and beckons me over.

As I approach, he tosses one of the blocks he was holding, managing to hit me on the tip of my muzzle. He burst into a fit of giggles, choking himself in the process, and begins to cough. Grinning at his retribution, I plop down besides him and grab a block from his bowl before tossing it into my mouth. "What was that for? I would have been happy with just a 'good morning'."

"You looked like you were still asleep, so I thought I would help you out." He stands up on his tiny feet, eyes glimmering with excitement. "Hey, I found something cool before you woke up! You won't believe it! Come and see!"

"I want to eat."

"There's no time! You've got to hurry before the Innkeeper throws us out again – you should have seen her talking to the construction workers – she was so agitated. They'll be clearing out the mess from yesterday's quake."

"Well, good." I pop another piece of Pokéblock into my mouth. "First thing they should do is get rid of that beam in my room."

"All right, you've had your share!" Pichu yanks me by the arm.

"Hey, wait – I'm not done yet!" I protest, but to no avail. Pichu is pulling me with all his might, and he can actually be pretty strong when he's determined. Left with no choice, I grab a few more blocks from the bowl and allowed myself to be led away. "All right already, no need to pull so hard! Where are we going anyway?"

"Oh, just you wait! I stumbled upon a small room by the stairway, and – come on, I'll show you!"

He leads me to the staircase, but instead of going up, he shoves me towards the side. There is a door built there: one that I have noticed before, but not paid much heed to. Pichu leans on it, looking smug. "This," he pats the door lovingly, "is a treasure trove."

"Yeah? You would think the Innkeeper might have kept it locked up if she stores her valuables in there."

"Exactly, Riolu! It's normally locked – I've tried opening it before – but it seems she has forgotten to do so today. That's why now is the perfect chance to have a little peek inside!"

"Which you have already done so, right?"

"Yeah, but – oh, we're just wasting time! Come on!"

"Fine, I'll go in with you." I admit that I am a little curious as to what is kept inside this little room.

Grinning from ear to ear, Pichu pushes the door open and trots inside. I follow closely behind warily, watching out for any traps which Pichu might have set in store for me. It wouldn't be the first time he tried. There doesn't seem to be anything suspicious inside, however. A mini-window at the side provides just enough illumination for me to spot a couple of crates, a cupboard, and lots of dust.

"Treasure trove, huh?"

"Ta-dah!" Pichu says, indicating a box at the corner. "It's full of toys!"

"Toys?"

"Yeah!" He leaps up and grabs some stuff from within the box. He tosses a small tennis ball at me before pulling out a few toy bricks. "See? You can even build a tower with these now – you don't have to use your food anymore!"

I ignore his last statement. "So, this is it? The treasure you're talking about… toys?"

"There're probably other stuff around," Pichu says, diving into the toybox again. "But who cares?"

Deciding to leave him alone in his heaven, I walk away to the cupboard. Its doors have not been closed properly – I pull them open and then stare wide-eyed at what I found inside: food.

And not the miserable stuff they serve for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but treats of all kinds. Candy, biscuits, chocolate… it's as though I have walked into a miniature confectionery store. "Wow…" I remove the lid from a jar of cookies and begin to feast. "If you'd told me there was food in here, I'd be more willing to come with you."

"What?"

"Food, Pichu, food!" I rattle the cookie jar. "You should come and have some."

"No thanks, I'm not hungry." His voice came out muffled. He must be pretty deep inside the box.

"Suit yourself; that only means more for me. I'll leave you to your baby stuff then."

"Baby stuff?" he cries, and I was startled at the fury in his voice. He pokes his head out from the top of the toybox and glares at me. "Hypocrite – you're as much of a baby as I am."

"Yeah?" I place my attention back on the cookie. "Well, okay, keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night."

I can hear Pichu scrambling out of the box, but I gaze back to the cupboard, deciding which item I should take next. The slam of a door jolts me out of my thoughts, and I quickly turn around. It wasn't the Innkeeper like I had thought; just Pichu, glowering at me with electricity crackling around his cheeks.

"Riolu," he says menacingly, his voice low. "I have just about enough with you and your wisecracks. You think you're so special – so high-and-mighty – but the truth is you're scum."

The half-eaten cookie in my paw drops to the ground. "Pichu, what…?"

"Everyone in the team knows you're just deadweight, and I think it is time I make that into a literal term."

He takes a step closer, and my eyes fall on the object he had pulled out from behind him. My heart froze; he is holding a gun. He aims the nozzle at me, and I felt both my paws automatically shoot up into the air. Where did he get the weapon from? What is he trying to do?

"Pichu, I – I – put that thing down, all right?" I take a step backwards as he draws closer. Panic is beginning to cloud my mind. "There are lots of Pokémon and people in this building… They'll come running here if you shoot me."

"I don't care anymore. I'll die happy with the knowledge that the last thing I did was take your life. I'm only doing the world a favour…" He smirks. "Any last words?"

"Pichu – no – I –"

But it was too late. His paws close around the trigger – I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing myself for the pain – and…

Laughter.

Dumbfounded, I open my eyes again. Pichu is rolling on the floor, cackling like a maniac. The gun lay by his side, and he points at me. "Look at you!" he yells in jubilation. "You should have seen your face! Oh, I wish I could have recorded it – wow! I can't believe you'd fall for that!"

Not really understanding what is going on, I lower my paws and walk closer. "Fall for what? Pichu, where'd you get the gun from?"

"Over there," he says happily, pointing at the crate of toys. "In the _toybox_."

Toy.

As realisation washes over me, I felt my fear transform into anger. A growl escapes from my throat, and it was all I could do to restrain myself from throttling the little scoundrel. "If I'd died from heart attack, I would make sure I come back and haunt you for the rest of eternity. Stop laughing – it's not funny!"

When Pichu continues chortling away, I add, "Just you wait, Pichu. Someday… someday, I will get you back for this. Tenfold. I strongly advise you to learn how to sleep with an eye open."

Though I tried to sound as intimidating as possible, Pichu found humour in my threat, and rolled about again with renewed laughter. Fine. I sit on the floor and hug the cookie jar tightly to my chest. I will not share.

Pichu lets out a big wheeze as he finally gets up, gasping for air. He pulls the gun closer and begins to nuzzle it lovingly. "I will never part with this gun, ever. I will keep it and take care of it and name it 'The Gun Which Scared Riolu Off His Pants'."

I give a small 'tch' as I toss the half-eaten cookie from earlier at the rodent. Unfortunately, I missed – he doesn't even notice. I stare at the gun a while longer before saying, "Well… you found the gun in the toybox, but there's no rule saying everything there has to be a toy."

Pichu's eyes shoot open. He pulls his cheek away from the gun and stares at it suspiciously. After examining it for a good while, he grins. "Nice try, but this is indeed a toy. I can see a spring inside – it probably shoots one of those miniature plunger things. I wonder where the plunger is?"

Great, there goes my one last chance to salvage my dignity.

The Electric-type dives into the box again, presumably to search for the ammo to load the gun with. From within, his voice rings out, "So, Riolu, you agree right? This is a treasure trove."

"All right, I'll give you that," I reply grudgingly as I lick the cream off a chocolate cookie. "Never would have thought the Innkeeper's secret stash of food is kept here. I guess she hoards them all to herself though; she never gives us any of these, does she? But, heh, I never expected her to have a secret stash of toys either," I add jokingly.

Pichu pokes his head out of the box once more, looking excited this time. "Hey, you're right! I never knew the Innkeeper is a child at heart! Maybe she'll play with me some time!"

Images of the Innkeeper pushing about a toy train with Pichu dances in my mind, and I chuckle despite my less-than-happy mood. "Yeah, good luck with that."

The door swings open. Startled, I got to my feet, shoving the jar back into the cupboard. As I expected, the Innkeeper stands at the doorway, her expression one of mingled shock and anger as she realises that her private storage has been raided by two inquisitive Pokémon.

I quickly brush the cookie crumbs off my face to hide the evidence before changing my expression to one of innocence. Maybe I can pretend that I lost my way or something. Her eyes move from me to Pichu, who is still inside the toybox. Smiling awkwardly, the rodent holds up a ball hopefully.

"How dare you break into my storeroom!" she shrieks, making a wild grab at Pichu. He manages to dodge, jumping out of the box with a loud clatter as toys poured out with him. Pichu grabs hold of the gun on the floor before dashing between her legs and out into freedom.

With one of her prey successfully escaping, the Innkeeper then turns to me with eyes fiercer than a rabid Houndoom.

I sigh. To die so young.

Grabbed by my tail, the Innkeeper marches out of the Inn with me floating above ground helplessly. The gate has already been shut – she opens it a smidge and tosses me out unceremoniously into a pile of snow, creating a nice Riolu-shaped hole in it.

Spitting out some snow, I rub my head and glance around. Pichu is walking to me with a broad smirk, the toy gun in his paws. Some friend he is – playing a cruel trick with that gun, and then leaving me alone to suffer the Innkeeper's wrath. Perhaps this has all been a trap after all.

"Thanks a lot, Pichu." I stand up and dust myself. "Why did you bring that thing along anyway?" I add, eyeing the gun in disgust. It really does look like the real deal. Is this what they are giving kids to play with these days?

"This is my new treasure. I doubt she'll be so careless as to forget locking that door again, so I need to bring it with me." He nuzzles the toy once more. "I will always remember that expression on your face. It's etched into my brain."

"I'll etch something else into your brain if you don't drop it."

Beyond the gate, several workers can be seen clearing off the pile of debris; they seem to be in a rather tetchy mood. I guess I cannot blame them – not only have their hard work been for naught, they also lost their best worker overnight: Magneton.

"So, where shall we go today?" Pichu asks nonchalantly. He is staring at the workers as well, but it seems that he is trying to avoid the subject of Magneton's death.

The words that Gardevoir said to me in the night echoes through my head. In her latest vision, she had seen a grave with a plain, old rock as a headstone. Perhaps it would be a good idea to seek out this enigmatic grave and try to decipher the meaning behind her premonition.

First, however, I need to fill Pichu in on the details. "Pichu… she has had another vision last night."

Pichu nearly drops the gun in fright. "W–what? Gardevoir?"

I stop the retort ("Who else? The Innkeeper?") from flying out of my mouth, and instead nod silently.

The electric rodent groans. "Oh no… What has she seen this time?"

"A grave."

"A – a grave?" Pichu whispers, a paw over his mouth. "Whose?"

It took a lot of effort on my part to refrain from cracking a smile. "Yours."

"Waaah!"

Before I knew it, Pichu has tackled me to the ground. He grabs a hold of my shoulders and begins to shake me violently. "I don't want to die – I don't want to die – I don't want to die!"

"Pi – Pichu – stop it! I was kidding, all right? Release me this instant!"

At my words, his grip slackens, and I quickly push him off. "Geez, what's your problem?"

"My problem?" He seems outraged. "You lied to me, saying that Gardevoir has seen my grave!"

"So?" I shoot back heatedly. "You tricked me with your fake gun!"

That did the trick. Pichu falls silent for a few moments before whispering again, "So… she didn't have a vision after all?"

"She did, I'm afraid. Gardevoir really did see a grave, though she has no idea who it belongs to."

Pichu scrutinises me sceptically. "Really? You're telling the truth?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't lie about it. After all," I say with a straight expression, "this is a grave matter."

The pun, it seems, flew right through Pichu's head. He scratches said head for a moment, apparently thinking about what to do. "Do you think we should go check it out?"

I stare at him in amusement. That had indeed been my idea, but I find it odd that he should propose it as well. "Let me guess: you want to play detective again?"

He returns my gaze defiantly. "You can't deny there's something strange going on. I just want to get to the bottom of this, before I end up like them."

"All right. I can't deny that I'm a bit curious about this grave myself. Gardevoir guesses that it is located in the cemetery. Do you know where it is?"

Though I wasn't expecting him to know the cemetery's whereabouts, there is a spark of recognition in his eyes. "The cemetery! It's at the far end of town – it's quite a secluded area. I saw it the other day when I was exploring by myself. There aren't any buildings nearby though, save for a huge factory."

"A factory?"

"Yeah. It seems empty though; there weren't any people at all the other day. Perhaps it was a holiday or something."

I nod. "All right; if you know the way, then let's go now."

"Okay!" Pichu picks up the gun he has dropped when he tackled me to the ground. "Let's go!"

"Wait – you're seriously bringing that thing with you? What would people in the streets say when they see it?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry." He walks a good distance ahead before turning back to me with a devious smile. "I don't think anyone would be stupid enough to think it is real."

"Wh— hey!"

Pichu lets out a loud burst of laughter as he dashes as fast his little legs could carry him. That darn mouse… since when has he gotten so mischievous?

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Huge iron-wrought gates greet us upon arrival at the graveyard, opened wide and welcoming us with their cold steely arms. There are letters arranged in the archway above it, though I'm not too sure what they read. I can only presume it tells of the place's name.

A sea of headstones lay beyond the gates, some of which have bouquets of flowers placed in front of them. Other lonelier ones were only decorated with piles of snow which have accumulated since goodness-knows-when. Pichu and I walk among the graves, both of us silent.

"Do you see the headstone in Gardevoir's vision?" he asks quietly after a while.

"Not yet." It occurs to me quickly enough that a lot of the headstones are different in one way or another. Square and round; big and small; stone and marble… Still, Gardevoir has seen an ordinary rock. I imagine it would really stand out. "Let's keep searching."

The graveyard is an extremely lonely place. There is a strange melancholic aura about the area – nothing creepy as one might expect, but a calming peacefulness. White snow blankets the entire landscape, and trees swaying in the wind complete the background.

I have expected the factory which Pichu has mentioned to be loud and obnoxious, ruining the serene atmosphere, but no. There is no smoke coming out from the many funnels at the top; no people moving in and out of the steel building. Just quietness, as though time has come to a standstill.

Walking about the place, I notice that there is a smaller secluded area at the very back of the graveyard. There are a few graves here, and the headstones seem a little carelessly made. Still, they were proper headstones. There aren't any rocks here.

At the side closest to the factory, there are a few uncovered graves. A large pile of earth lay nearby, with a couple of shovels sticking out of it. I guess these graves are just waiting for an occupant, perhaps later, perhaps never. Pichu and I explore this section last of all, though there is nothing much to see. We have combed the entire cemetery, and there were plenty of rocks, but none of them were used to mark a grave.

Deep in my mind, a sinister explanation for this manifested by itself: perhaps it just hasn't been made yet.

"I wonder what's so significant about the grave we're looking for anyway," Pichu says as he stands close to the edge of an unearthed grave, peering down into the hole. "Who knows, it might even belong to a stranger. Perhaps it wouldn't be important."

"Maybe it would provide a hint as to who killed the Trainer," I reason, though only half-heartedly. "Or maybe it's a warning of some sort."

Pichu turns to me. "A warning?"

"Yeah… Perhaps the vision is trying to warn us of an impending zombie invasion. Maybe the first zombie to rise will be from that grave."

"Zombies don't exist!" he yells, his voice quivering slightly.

I grin. "Tell them that when they come chasing after you later."

"Oh yeah? Just so you know, if zombies are ever chasing us, all I got to do is outrun you." A complacent smile spreads on his face. "And the both of us know that I can too, seeing as I won the race yesterday."

I keep my voice steady and calm. "You only won because of luck. And don't forget that I took a longer route. I assure you, if zombies were chasing us, we _would _be running the same path, and I _would _use Quick Attack to get the heck out of there." I wave a paw at him. "Pichu, you don't stand a chance."

"Noooo!" He flails his arms in panic as he comes scampering toward me. "Why can't you carry me and Quick Attack us both out of there?"

"You're heavy – you'll only slow us down. Don't worry, Pichu. I'll always remember you. I'll even hold a nice little funeral for you when I make it to safety; how about that?"

"If I get caught by a zombie, I'll be turned to a brain-eating monster as well!" He glares at me. "And then I'll seek you out and convert you! Hah!"

As I struggle to come up with a witty response, Pichu continues his onslaught, "And if you'd just _trained_ a little more, maybe you'll actually be strong enough to carry me and escape. Some Fighting-type you are."

"Well," I begin, my voice rising, "I'm sorry I'm not tough like Hitmonlee or Gallade, who could obliterate you any day of the week. Nonetheless, I'm confident enough in my capabilities to know that I can easily take you on."

"Says the guy who got whipped in ten seconds flat at the gym battle the other day."

Blood pressure… rising…

"You know that was a fluke –"

"The classic excuse," Pichu says, nodding smugly with his arms folded.

"– I wasn't prepared for that at all!" Seeing him giggling to himself, I blew my top. "Right, if you're so sure… why don't we have a battle right here? As I recall, it was you who suggested a spar yesterday. Time to prove your mettle, Pichu!"

Pichu studies me for a while, clearly amused. There is no fear in his eyes; none at all. "Are you sure, Riolu? You really want to fight here?"

"Yeah, I'm sure!" I tense my body, raising my paws into a fighting stance. "Any problems with that?"

"Oh, none at all," he replies airily. His eyes turn to the empty grave besides him. "I guess it's just as well. I'll just lay you here to rest once I'm done with you. No promises on a nice funeral though. Let me just put my gun in a safe place…"

Pichu walks off and places the toy gun near the huge pile of earth. He then smirks at me, electricity sparkling from his cheeks. "Well, it's been nice knowing you, Riolu."

At that, the battle begins. The electricity around his cheeks merges into a small blue jet, which shoots out at me. Thunder Wave – potential paralysis if it hits. Not wanting to be rendered immobile so early in the battle, I dive to the side.

Pichu sure is smart – he has intentionally begun the battle after placing so much distance between us, knowing that I am more of a close-range fighter. As I rush to where he is standing, he lets loose more streams of electricity, each of which I dodge with ease. Nonetheless, he has done a good job of wearing me down at the beginning of the fight.

When I am but a short distance away from him, I leap into the air and performed a Quick Attack to close the gap. I land directly behind the rodent; before he could turn around, I thrust my paw forward and send a wave of Aura bursting forth. The Force Palm connects, sending Pichu falling face-first into the snow.

I run forward for a follow-up attack. Pichu is still lying facedown – I grab his tail, just like how the Innkeeper grabbed mine in the morning. All of a sudden, Pichu's tail flashes white – he swings it swiftly, catching me in the jaw.

I fall backwards, rubbing the spot where his Iron Tail struck. It hurt surprisingly more than I had expected it to… Without warning, another jolt of pain hit me forcefully as Pichu continues his onslaught with a steady stream of ThunderShock.

After a few seconds, the electricity dies away, and I can see Pichu panting. My body still feels sore, throbbing with pain here and there. I grit my teeth and will myself to get up, but it is taking a lot of effort just to move. Managing to get on all fours, I tense my leg muscles and launch forward in another Quick Attack, tackling Pichu onto the ground.

Being on top of Pichu, I place a paw on his chest and ready another Force Palm. Pichu is quick to react, unfortunately: he grabs hold of me, grins, and unleashes a large current of electricity.

The pain is immense, certainly nothing I have ever expected from Pichu. This second wave of electricity is taking a heavier toll on me – my body shakes violently as though I'm having a seizure, and for a while, I can only see flashes of white.

When at last I am released from the torment, I slump to the ground. Pichu dances about in front of me, though he looks exhausted as well. "Ready to give up, Riolu? Had enough yet? Wanna beg for mercy now, while you're still conscious?"

"I… I'm not done yet…" I manage to wheeze.

Pichu giggles. "Aw… the poor Riolu doesn't know when to give up…"

The taunt is something I would expect from Hitmonlee, not Pichu. I let out a growl and force myself to raise my right paw. Even though I'm unable to get a hold of Pichu, he is standing close enough for a well-placed Force Palm to hit. Pichu seems to realise my plan, however, and takes a few steps back.

"You and your Force Palms," he grunts. "Why don't you go for a little variety? How about using Copycat, hmm? At least it'd give you a little range."

"You're the one overusing your electric attacks," I say, finally managing to get back on my feet.

"My attacks are based primarily on my electric capabilities – what can I do?" he protests. "But come on, use your Copycat. I would love to see electricity shooting out from you. Plus, it'd be good practice for me, avoiding getting zapped."

Ignoring his request, I run forward only for my leg to give out, making me fall again. Pichu trots over, standing in front of me. He seems to be readying another electric attack, but his expression quickly changes to one of surprise as he stares at me. I'm not sure what it is that caused his astonishment, but I seize the moment to capitalise – I deliver the variety he wanted by punching him in the stomach. Hard.

He falls backward, and I quickly get up again before dashing at him for another blow. Unfortunately, I saw too late that his tail has begun to glow once more. An eye for an eye, perhaps, or a stomach for a stomach. His tail lashes against my torso, causing me to fly to the side.

To my horror, I have chosen the worst spot possible for landing – though I try to grab the ledge, my paws grasped empty air as I plummet straight down into one of the open graves.

The inside of the grave is rather small, and the ledge so high up. I'm glad that it's empty, at the very least, but I certainly do not want to waste a second more in this hole. Looking up, I can see Pichu peeking down.

"I never expected what I said to come true," Pichu says, beaming at me. "Guess I really did lay you down to rest after showing you a thing or two."

I jump up, but fail to grab the ledge. "Pichu – not funny! – get me outta here!"

"Do you concede defeat, then?" he says tauntingly.

I hesitate, exhaling deeply. Which is more important right now: conserving my pride, or getting out of here? "All right, fine, you win. Happy? Can you help me out now?"

"Yaaaaay! I win! I win! First the race, and now the battle! Who's the superior one now?"

"Pichu! Get me out of here this instant!"

"Fine, sheesh." As he walks out of my line of vision, I can hear him say distinctively, "Sore loser."

Thankfully, I did not have to wait long before Pichu reappears, holding one of the shovels I have seen earlier by the dirt pile. He lowers it down, and I grab onto the handle. Before I climb up, I call out to him, "Wait – are you sure you're able to hold on to this? I don't want you falling in as well. It's bad enough that I'm in here; I don't want to be stuck with you."

"Don't worry, I'm stronger than you think."

Well, he sure seems confident. Not altogether reassured, I hastily climb up the length of the shovel. Though there were several instances when I noticed the shovel sliding down slightly, I manage to hoist myself up into safety before Pichu tires out and tumbles in with me.

Pichu lets go of the shovel and sits on the ground, as did I. The two of us are panting – the battle has taken quite a lot out of me, I'm afraid to admit. Perhaps I'm just pushing myself too hard… After a while, Pichu exclaims, "Hey, you know the moment before I knocked you down the hole with my Iron Tail?"

"I get it, Pichu, enough already. No need to rub it in."

"No – listen to me for a second! Right before you punched me in the gut – guess what I saw?"

I think back to the battle. I recall him being surprised at something, though I had no idea why. "Yeah? What did you see?"

"Your eyes!" he says excitedly. "They were glowing blue!"

I pause, stunned at this. "They… they were?"

"Yeah! And there seems to be some weird wisps of smoke or something around you. Don't you think it could be your Aura? Maybe you're going to evolve soon!"

"Really?" Though I have not felt any different during the battle, I doubt Pichu is lying to me. I smile, looking down at my paws and half-expecting to see Aura rising from it. "That'd be great."

"Maybe you can start practicing! Train your Aura! Then you can do all those things a Lucario can do – detect a presence, shoot spheres, and… oh! Communicate through telepathy! This is so cool – why don't you try doing it now? Think of something – a word, an image, a sound – and try to convey it to me!"

He closes his eyes, as though expecting me to follow along with that ridiculous idea. I lean in closer to his ear and whisper, "Pichu is an idiot…"

Pichu snaps his eyes open. "It worked! I heard it! You really have developed your Aura abili— hey! What do you mean, I am an idiot?"

"That's exactly what I mean, buddy."

We have accepted without question after exploring the place that we were alone, save for the many departed people and Pokémon buried deep in the land. Our battle has been a heated one, perhaps, but the peacefulness of the place remained intact. I did not – and neither did Pichu, I'm sure – expect that our assumptions were wrong, and that danger was but a short distance away.

Danger, in the form of a laughing Hitmonlee, making his way towards us.

Pichu and I stand up immediately, completely taken by surprise at the Kicking Pokémon's sudden appearance.

"Well, well, well!" he exclaims, turning from Pichu to me. "Had fun battling, I see! How does it feel, Riolu, to lose to the likes of him?"

"Shut up, Hitmonlee!" Pichu pipes up, causing me to stare at him in surprise. I never would have expected Pichu, of all Pokémon, to stand up to the brute.

Hitmonlee shakes his head in mock disappointment. "And victory is getting to your head already. You're still nothing, Pichu. Don't think you can act all smug because of that win – after all, anyone can defeat Riolu easily."

He puffs out his chest. "As for me… why, even Pokémon with type-advantages have a hard time taking me on. And elements which I'm strong against – Dark, Rock, and… hah! Bug – well, you can say that I'm practically immune to them."

"We're not interested in hearing about why you love yourself so much," I interrupt. "Come on, Pichu, let's go."

Pichu nods, and we both turn to leave. We barely took a few steps away when Hitmonlee calls out.

"Hold it! I've been itching for a battle, and I intend to get one. I know you two are situated at the very end of the weakness scale, but beggars can't be choosers." He folds his arms and appears to be thinking for a few seconds. He then snaps his claws. "I got it – I'll give you two a handicap. I'll fight _both_ of you at the same time, and I'll let you attack me with all you've got for a full minute before I retaliate. All right?"

Pichu turns to me helplessly. A battle with Hitmonlee is more than what we bargained for when we came to this place. I shake my head. "So you intend to take advantage of the fact that Pichu and I are tired out from our match. What's the matter? Too afraid to take us on when we're both at our peaks? Don't make it seem as though you're so tough, Hitmonlee. You're nothing but a spineless coward."

Pichu slaps his forehead, groaning. Apparently, antagonising Hitmonlee further was not what the rodent deemed the right thing to do, but I don't care anymore. I smirk as the Fighting-type stares at me with a dumbstruck expression. "How many times have I seen you fall in defeat to Gallade? And haven't I watched you getting knocked out by Magneton's Zap Cannon yesterday?"

I laugh mirthlessly – I don't know where my sudden confidence is coming from. Perhaps a part of me has had enough. "Face it, you're far from what you make yourself to be." I laugh louder. "Even the _Innkeeper_ got the better of you the other day – an old lady with a broom is enough to take you on, for goodness' sake!"

His eyes widen at my last remark, and he lets out a huge roar. I quickly give Pichu's arm a small tug as I whisper to him, "It's time to get out of here."

I run as fast as I could, forcing my legs to keep working despite them being sore after the battle. In fact, my whole body is aching, but I knew things would get a hundred times worse if Hitmonlee were to catch up with me.

A few seconds later, I realise that Pichu isn't by my side. Hitmonlee, however, seems to have forgotten all about the rodent, and is only intent on catching me. I can't believe it… Pichu has left me to die alone for the second time today – first with the Innkeeper, and now at the hands of our own team-mate.

I turn around to see that Pichu has, in fact, made a detour to retrieve his toy gun. I am suddenly filled with a strong urge to bang my head repeatedly against a brick wall.

Deciding that it would be best to forget all about Pichu for now, I face forward again and perform a Quick Attack to boost my speed. Hitmonlee is hot on my heels, and unless a miracle arrives fast, I might find myself in a square box buried in the earth pretty soon.

As the graveyard is pretty much deserted, there is no hope of anyone stumbling onto the scene and scooping the poor little Riolu out of harm's way. The road back to the city is quite long as well, and I know that the chances of me making it back before Hitmonlee catches me are slimmer than the probability of Pichu becoming Snowpoint's next mayor.

What I need is a place to hide, and who am I to decline the offer of the kind factory located next to the graveyard?

I can only hope that I am able to get my way in somehow. Perhaps there are people inside – and if not, I could probably just hide among the machinery.

Though the fence surrounding the factory suggests that intruders are not welcome, the gates have been left open. I scramble in, trying to search for an opening in which I can use to enter the building. The huge steel doors at the front have been shut, and I don't have the time to check if they can be opened.

Running to the side, I weave my way through a few snow-covered crates that have been left in the open, my eyes frantically scanning the building. Even as I continue to sprint, I begin to wonder if the factory is still in operation. The crates look as though they have not been touched in a very long time, and the windows on the walls seem to have accumulated an impressive amount of dust.

At the corner of the compound, there is a small shack with a door that appears to have fallen off its hinges. The shack, which I presume to be a storeroom, is separate from the main building itself. Though I could enter it, it is rather small, and I would only be setting myself up to be cornered.

Giving a grunt in frustration, I turn the corner to scour the factory's back. It was then that my heart soared – right there, at the side, is a door that has been left open just a tiny smidge.

With a goal finally in sight, I push myself to run faster, bursting through the door and into the stuffiness of the factory. I have no time to look around the room I am in – I quickly slam the door behind me and bolt the little latch at the bottom.

I am finally safe – for the time being, anyway.

"Get back out here!" Hitmonlee yells, pounding heavily on the door.

Sure, Hitmonlee. I'll open the door, come outside, and let you beat me up. I roll my eyes before looking around the place. It is a small, dark room – the lights have not been turned on. My earlier suspicions of the factory being abandoned seem to be likely after all; there is not a single person in sight.

Perhaps time really has frozen in this entire area.

A loud pound shook me out of my reverie. I turn around to find that Hitmonlee is doing his best to break down the door, and the door doesn't seem to be putting much of a fight. My heartbeat, which has slowed after making it into the factory, accelerates again. I'm not as safe as I had previously thought.

Though it was hard to see anything in the darkness a while ago, my pupils have begun to dilate, growing accustomed to the lack of light. There are more boxes in the room, and an open doorway ahead. Figuring it would be better to place as much distance between Hitmonlee and me as I could, I run through the door and into a long hallway, past a couple more rooms, and then I stop.

I have arrived at a large open space in the factory. Light is shining in through the (somewhat filthy) windowpanes on the ceiling, and I can glimpse clearly everything there is to see – which is to say, a lot.

I don't know where to begin. Tons and tons of equipment and machinery are scattered throughout the place, most of which I cannot identify. Some are moderate in size, though a few of them tower over everything else in the place. A long, unmoving conveyor belt has been built around these machines, weaving around them like a humongous snake. Up above, walkways have been constructed, probably for access to the top of the taller machines.

All this, and not a single human or Pokémon in sight.

A crash resounds from somewhere behind me, and I look around for somewhere to hide. My panic has somewhat receded; I doubt Hitmonlee would be able to find me in a place this big. I just have to hide somewhere, and then sneak to the exit while Hitmonlee is busy tearing the rest of the place down.

With that, I shoot off towards the stairs which leads to the walkways above, figuring that it is better to hide in a good vantage point.

I can hear Hitmonlee crashing and banging his way around as he searches for me, not bothering to keep silent. Based on the sounds, I believe that he is searching one of the many rooms that I have passed by in the hallway earlier. Good; that will buy me some time.

Now that I'm up on the walkway, I can see that it also leads to several other rooms on the upper floor. There is one room nearby, with a long rectangular window which provides a nice view of the entire section. Curious, I poke my head in, only to find a large control panel with many buttons. I guess it is a control room of some sort.

I consider hiding in this room – I doubt Hitmonlee will come up here to check before he searches the rest of the ground floor, but then again, if he _did _enter this room, there is no chance of escaping. The room is not connected to any other hallways, and the only exit is the one which leads back to the walkways.

Deciding to search for a better spot, I step back out, casting a glance down to see if Hitmonlee has arrived in the wide workplace. To my immense surprise, there is someone down there, all right – but it isn't Hitmonlee. Instead, it is a tiny rodent with a toy gun, looking around the place nervously.

"Pichu!" I whisper as loud as I could, hoping to catch his attention. It failed; Pichu continues staring straight ahead at all the machinery. He is about to walk off when I decided to try out what the rodent has suggested earlier. Not really feeling confident, I close my eyes and focus…

"_Pichu!"_

Pichu jumps, looking around frantically. Hey, what do you know – my telepathy really worked!

I wave as he casts a glance my way. A smile breaks over his face, and he scampers up the stairs to join me. "What are you doing here?" I ask. "Where's Hitmonlee?"

"I'm here to save you, of course!" he says, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And Hitmonlee is in one of the rooms downstairs. I slipped past him in the hallway earlier."

"And how did you know I was here anyway, instead of those rooms?"

"I don't – I just decided to try and find you before he does. I stumbled upon this large place, and then I heard you calling for me. What were you thinking, yelling my name so loudly like that? What if Hitmonlee hears?"

"But I – That was –" I shake my head. "Never mind… Look, I'm touched that you've come for me and all, but I'm not sure how you being here is supposed to help me. If anything, it's more dangerous for us to stick together. Much harder to hide when there's the two of us."

"Really? But I don't think –"

The sound of approaching footsteps echo through the large hall, and I quickly pull Pichu into the control room. "Keep quiet, he's here." I stand at the doorway and peep downwards: Hitmonlee has finally appeared, seemingly irritated at how vast the place before him is.

The Fighting-type proceeds to search the equipments and machines around him. I turn back to Pichu. "He's near the stairs right now. The moment he walks deeper into the factory, we run down and get out, okay?"

Pichu gives a slight nod, his eyes on the control panel. He sidles over to it, jumps up on a chair, and marvels at all the buttons and knobs. "Riolu, what do you think this is for?"

"No clue. Maybe it's to control some of the machines down there."

"Ooh – you mean like a crane game?" he whispers excitedly. "Maybe we can activate this, grab Hitmonlee, and leave him hanging in the air! Then we can get out!"

"While I would certainly like to see that, I don't think it works that way…"

But Pichu does not seem to hear my comment. He begins to press some of the buttons while keeping an ear out for any signs of machinery coming to life. Everything remains silent, however. His look of excitement dies away, replaced by one of disappointment.

"Maybe I have to turn it on first."

As Pichu searches for a power switch, I say, "Look, I don't think it would work anyway. I don't even think there's electricity in this factory anymore. Why don't –"

_CRASH!_

I freeze. In an attempt at reaching for a lever that's just beyond his grasp, Pichu has leaned forward on the chair he was standing on. Unfortunately, he lost his balance, falling off and kicking the chair down with him.

We're dead.

"Pichu! Look what you've done! We've got to –"

For the second time, I got interrupted, this time by Hitmonlee's booming voice. "Aha! So you're hiding up there, aren't you? Give it up, I've got you now! Further attempts at running away will only make me angrier, and you wouldn't want that, would you?"

Pichu shoots a terrified look at me. My mind has gone completely numb, but there is one thing that I am sure of: I have to start running right away. "Pichu – Hitmonlee doesn't know you're here. Just stay in this room while I find another spot to hide. The moment you see him chase after me, get downstairs and out of the factory. I'll be fine."

Without waiting for a response, I sprint out of the room, my feet making a clanging sound with each step I take on the metallic walkway. Hitmonlee has already made his way halfway up the stairs, and he grins as he spots me.

"Found you."

Gritting my teeth, I look for a path I could use – I didn't want to take a route that leads to a dead end. A sudden yell then reaches my ears, and I spin around to find Pichu running out of the control room, carrying his toy gun. Hitmonlee, a short distance from me, turns his head as well, only to be forcefully tackled right away by Pichu.

Upon impact, Pichu drops his gun, and it slides between Hitmonlee's legs before coming to a stop right in front of me. Hitmonlee is still standing; he cackles loudly as he yanks Pichu up by the ears. "So you're here as well, eh? Good, good! So nice of you to join us!"

He shakes Pichu up and down, his eyes fixed on the mouse. Looking down at the toy gun near my feet, a brilliant stroke of inspiration strikes me. I pick it up and aim the nozzle at Hitmonlee.

"Release Pichu at once!" I command, tightening my grip on the gun. My paws are shaking terribly; I hope Hitmonlee doesn't notice that.

The Fighting-type turns back to me. His eyes widen at the sight of the gun, and he drops Pichu to the ground. Whether he did so out of fear or surprise, I do not know, but I inwardly sigh with relief. Like me, he seems to believe that the gun is real.

"Wise move, Hitmonlee. You will let us both out of this factory, and you will stop picking on us from now on. Otherwise…" I move my paw closer to the trigger threateningly.

His reaction is one which I did not expect: he starts to smirk, staring at me as though he is actually disappointed. "So, Riolu… you're dealing in guns now, eh? I never would have though it was you all along…"

"What do you mean?" I ask sharply.

"You know what I meant. You killed our Trainer, and I bet you have something to do with Gallade's death as well. I guess Pichu here is involved as well, huh? So now what? You're going to off me too?"

"I have nothing to do with their deaths," I bark, taking a step closer to Hitmonlee. "But that doesn't mean I won't pull the trigger now. One wrong move, Hitmonlee, and this bullet is yours. Don't make me a murderer…"

Though I believed that the gun is my ticket out of this factory, life has decided then and there to throw a curveball at me. Rushed footsteps fill the air, coming from the stairs. The three of us turn towards it in surprise – who else could be in the factory with us?

It is a man in a police uniform… Navy-Blue.

He is panting, but his face is screwed up with determination as his hand shoots towards the gun holster on his side. He whips out a gun and proceeds to aim it at me.

Somehow, I get the feeling that Navy-Blue's is not a toy.

"Thank goodness I decided to tail the Hitmonlee," he says. "I knew those previous deaths couldn't be coincidences, and I suspected that one of the team is responsible. What I didn't realise, however…" He glowers at me in contempt. "Guess it's true that the biggest surprises come in small packages…"

He takes a step closer. "Drop the gun now… I will not hesitate to shoot… You would deserve it, after all that you've done…"

I wanted to curse so badly. Why does luck hate me so? Am I going to die right here at the hands of this incompetent officer? The one he should be aiming the gun at is Hitmonlee! Is Gardevoir's vision going to come true after all, with me buried in that grave, labelled a murderer?

I really have no idea what would have happened if Pichu had not stepped in. The yellow-furred Pokémon jumps up, clings onto Navy-Blue's back, and lets loose a large burst of electricity.

I run forward – my body seems to be acting on its own. Nearing the officer, I leap up and deliver an uppercut straight to his jaw with my free paw. The man groans and drops the gun – I promptly kick it off the walkway and watch briefly as it soars down into the sea of machinery below.

Hitmonlee, who has been stunned at my sudden attack, reaches out to grab me. I duck under his claws and unleash a Force Palm, knocking him down. I run again, heading towards the stairway. "Split up!" I hiss to Pichu as I pass by him, and we both tear down the stairs back onto the ground floor.

"Get back here, murderer!" Hitmonlee roars from above. I look up quickly to find him having just gotten back to his feet. Next to him, Navy-Blue has slumped to the ground, unmoving. Have our attacks actually knocked him out cold?

"Why must we split up? Let's get out of the factory now!" Pichu whispers frantically to me upon reaching the foot of the stairs.

"No!" I brandish the toy gun in front of his face. "Your stupid toy got me into trouble! Everyone thinks I'm the murderer now! I need time to think about what to do – let's just split up first and hide! Or better yet, you get out of the factory and go back to the Inn!"

Pichu opens his mouth to protest, but I quickly shove him aside. "Hitmonlee's coming – hurry!"

Giving me one last frightened glance, he tears off towards the hallway which leads back to the exit.

I make my way around the large workplace and squeeze myself into a small niche between two tall machines. Poking my head out slightly, I see that Hitmonlee has dashed towards the same path that Pichu took. Perhaps he thought that I was with the Electric-type. Well, with luck, he would follow Pichu out of the factory.

I shrink back into my hiding spot and begin to ponder about my situation. Hitmonlee and Navy-Blue both thinks that I'm the murderer because of this cursed toy. There has to be a way out of this mess… There just has to be.

I could only sit and pray for a solution to hit me soon.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

I am unsure of how much time has passed. Though I cracked my head for a solution, the only thing that came to me was to show Navy-Blue the toy gun and make him see reason. Then he would realise that I was only trying to save myself and Pichu from the insane Hitmonlee. The best thing that could happen is that Hitmonlee gets locked up for being a danger to the public.

A scream wrings the air, causing me to startle. It came from the hallway which Pichu had run off to, and I recognise the voice as belonging to the rodent. I slap my forehead in frustration – Pichu has once again ignored my advice, and is still lingering around in the factory!

I peek out to ensure that the coast is clear before coming out of my hiding spot. Looking up at the walkway, I see that Navy-Blue is no longer there. Well, if he has woken up and is searching for me, I'd better keep an eye out for him.

Back at the hallway, it didn't take long for me to spot the source of the commotion. Within one of the rooms, Hitmonlee has grabbed Pichu by the ears again, and there are a few circular objects of various colours sticking onto the mouse's body. Are those… Poffins?

"Let me go!" Pichu yells, squirming about.

"You wish," Hitmonlee says, snarling. "I'm handing you and Riolu over to the police. Pretty sneaky, aren't you, hiding in this box over here? I thought for a moment you had escaped outside – I even searched the perimeter and everything. Then I realised that there were no footprints heading out, so I deduced you must still be in here. Now tell me! Where's your idiot friend?"

"You really are a fool if it took you so long to realise that there are no footprints," I say, standing at the doorway. When Hitmonlee turns around, I drop the toy gun to the floor and take a leaf out of Pichu's book, tackling the Hitmonlee as hard as I could. Pichu drops to the floor as the Fighting-type stumbles forward.

Hitmonlee bumps his head hard against the wall, and he wheels around with a growl. Before he could strike at me, Pichu shoots out a Thunder Wave, and Hitmonlee doubles over.

"Real smart," he spits. "So this is all a trap – but I'm not going to let you two have your way that easily!"

Flames engulf his leg, and he launches a Blaze Kick at me. His movements are sluggish though, and I dodge it with ease – it would seem that he has been paralysed. I retaliate with a Force Palm, sending him crashing onto the shelf behind him. Several glass jars topple off and breaks on Hitmonlee. Each of them contained a sticky yellowish substance which I recognise as honey.

Though I find it odd that there is honey in this place, I had no time to ponder over it. Hitmonlee springs back onto his feet, lumbering over towards me. I ready another Force Palm, but Pichu got there first. He whips Hitmonlee as hard as he could with an Iron Tail, knocking our opponent down again.

Hitmonlee then grabs hold of Pichu's throat and squeezes as hard as he could. The sound of Pichu gagging causes me to panic. I look around quickly, and found a steel chair by the table. Taking it with both my paws, I whack Hitmonlee as hard as I could on the head.

I repeat my attack, over and over, not really knowing when to stop. Hitmonlee's grip on Pichu slackens, and the Electric-type manages to pull himself free. Yet, I continue my assault, up and down… up and down…

"Riolu, I think that's enough…"

At Pichu's words, I stop, placing the chair back on the ground. I notice that some honey has stuck onto the chair, along with a streak of red that is Hitmonlee's blood. "Oops," I mutter, staring at the gash on Hitmonlee's head. The Pokémon is out cold.

Pichu and I stare at the fallen Hitmonlee. He is still alive – his chest is heaving up and down slowly. Pichu's lips curl into a smile. "He's knocked out! We actually did it – we defeated Hitmonlee! Well… _you_ did it, actually…"

"Hey, I don't want to get all the credit. You paralysed him, and that was one great Iron Tail as well." I stare at Hitmonlee in disgust. "How did he manage to find you anyway?"

"Well, I was hiding in that box of Poffins over there," Pichu explains, pointing at the corner. "I left the lid open just a crack so that I could get some air, and apparently, Hitmonlee noticed."

I turn to stare at where Pichu is pointing. It is more of a container, long and rectangular. The lid has been left open, and I can see a lot of Poffins placed within. There are also two latches at the side of the container, which I presume are used to lock it up. The container is placed on a factory trolley, the kind which is used to transport several boxes at once.

I suppose it is a fine hiding place for someone Pichu's size, but a larger Pokémon will have very little room to manoeuvre in there.

"Why are there Poffins and honey in this room?" I ask, looking around properly for the first time since I entered the place. It is a rather small compartment, with several more containers like the one Pichu hid in. There are two shelves in all, both of which are decorated with jars of honey. Of course, one of them has been knocked over by Hitmonlee.

"There are actually quite a lot of foodstuffs here," Pichu says. "I think they are used to feed Pokémon who worked here in the past. But trust me, you wouldn't want to eat any of this. I tried nibbling on a Poffin when I was hiding earlier." He makes a face. "It's gone bad."

"Well, okay, let's forget about all that," I reply hurriedly, staring at Hitmonlee once again. "There are more pressing issues to worry about. First, we need to find Navy-Blue, as soon as possible."

"You would think that all the commotion would have attracted his attention," Pichu says.

"Maybe he's in the deeper parts of the factory or something. Anyway, we need to find him and then show him the fake gun," I jerk my head towards the toy on the floor, "so as to clear my name. This is the perfect chance, now that Hitmonlee won't be bothering us for the time being."

Pichu looks worried. "Are you sure Navy-Blue will understand though, that you're not the killer?"

"We have to try, don't we? Look, we're wasting time. I'm telling you, it'll be a lot harder searching for him, _and _explaining that I'm innocent, if Hitmonlee is awake. We need to move now."

He nods. "I understand. Let's split up, and yell loudly if either of us finds him."

"Good plan. And once one of us has found him, lead him back here, and we'll sort things out." I shake my head, casting a sideward glance at the gun. "This wouldn't have happened if you didn't bring that along."

Pichu looks down at his feet, crestfallen. "I'm sorry…"

I place a paw on his shoulder. "All right, it's no use wishing for what might have been. Let's get going already."

Though still looking a little disheartened, Pichu nods, and we hurry out of the room to begin our search.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

If you consider the fact that Navy-Blue is probably out there searching for us, it's incredibly odd that we've been unable to find him thus far. He isn't walking along the walkways, and neither could he be seen roaming around the ground floor. Pichu has mentioned that he would set off towards a deeper section in the factory, but he has yet to yell for me, meaning that he has had no luck either.

At this rate, Hitmonlee will have awoken, and the wild chase will begin all over again. Fatigued, I sit on the floor, staring at the gun in my paws. So much chaos, all because of a toy.

My eyes scan the walkway again, though I knew it would be useless. For one, there would certainly be a noise if Navy-Blue was walking about up above. Sighing, I stand up and search again.

Though there isn't any sign of Navy-Blue anywhere, something weird caught my eye. On the floor right next to a particularly tall machine, there is what seemed to be a reddish trail of liquid. The liquid has dried somewhat, but the trail definitely appears to have been made very recently.

Careful not to step on it, I follow the line. A sense of foreboding takes over me as it stops at a corner, leading under a large blue tarp. Hesitating slightly, I walk over and lift the tarp to see what is under it.

I immediately take a few steps backward. The body of Navy-Blue, slightly bloody and bruised, lies right in front of me. His eyes are open, staring unseeingly up above. His right foot is twisted at an odd angle, and I'm guessing that it has been broken. The officer has been murdered.

By whom?

"Pichu! PICHU!" I tear my eyes away from the body and turn around, running away from the ghastly sight. "PICHU!"

"Riolu?" Pichu's voice rings out. It seems to be coming from the room where we have left Hitmonlee… Weird, I didn't notice him coming back from the depths of the factory. "Riolu – we have a problem! Come quickly!"

I freeze in my tracks. A problem? Wondering what Pichu meant, I break into a sprint again, dashing as fast as I could back to the room. As expected, Pichu is there, waiting for me. He runs up to me anxiously.

"Riolu, Hitmonlee is gone!"

My head automatically turns to where Hitmonlee was lying previously. Indeed, he is no longer there. "He has awoken? Then… that means… but I didn't see him searching for us… Did you see him anywhere?"

"I didn't either." He tugs on my arm like a frightened child. "Riolu, I don't like this. I'm tired of running. Have you found Navy-Blue yet? Let's find him quickly and go… I want to go back to the Inn…"

At the mention of Navy-Blue, I remembered why I have been so frenetically searching for Pichu in the first place. "Pichu, we gotta get out of here. I found Navy-Blue all right, but he's dead! Someone killed him, Pichu!"

Pichu's eyes widen, and he begins to tremble. "B–but… are… are you sure?"

"I saw it with my own eyes! Think, Pichu! The murderer is inside the factory with us! If we don't get out of here…" I'm unable to utter the next few words, but Pichu got the gist.

"I don't want to die!"

"Then let's go!" I grab his paw. "Quick!"

We dash out of the room together, making our way back to the exit. Pichu keeps looking backwards, as though expecting the murderer to show up all of a sudden. Back in the room where I first entered, I notice that Hitmonlee has broken the door down completely when he had been chasing me earlier.

Pichu is about to run out into the open when I yank him back. "Wait! We… we should cover our footprints as we leave. An officer has been killed – we don't want to leave any indication that we have been here."

"But… what about Hitmonlee? He can testify that we've been in there…"

"Well… we'll worry about that later. Let's just do as I say for now, all right?"

As I stare down at the snow-covered ground outside the door, I found something odd. There are no footprints at all… not even ones which led into the factory. Has it been snowing?

The two of us walk out, with Pichu wiping off the footprints we leave behind. I begin to move towards the front gate, but Pichu suddenly calls out to me. "Riolu… do you think Hitmonlee is waiting for us at the front?"

"What? Why would you think that?"

"Think about it. He's after our blood, and yet, he disappears after waking up. You know as well as I do that he isn't one to give up. Maybe he's waiting for us out there, because he knows that we'll have to exit through the gates eventually."

"I see… I'll just peep around the corner to see."

"No!" Pichu says hurriedly. "He might spot you! And he could be hiding as well, so you wouldn't be able to see him anyway. The moment we walk out of that gate, he'll jump out."

"What do you propose then? Should we just sit here all day and wait for the murderer to get us?"

Pichu shakes his head. "Let's exit through a different way. See the fence there? We'll climb over it, and run off to the graveyard. Then, we'll take an alternative route through the forest back into the city. How about that?"

I consider his suggestion. "Okay, I see no problem with that. Let's go, then."

After making our way to the fence, I toss the toy gun over it to the other side. Pichu hops on to my shoulder before jumping up, grabbing the top of the fence and hoisting himself over. Once he has made it, he reaches a paw down for me. As I leap, I kick the snow behind forcefully so as to destroy the final footprint.

I didn't need to grab his paw after all – I manage to jump high enough to get a hold of the top. Successfully making our way to the other side, I pick up the toy and cast a quick look around our surroundings. There is not a single human or Pokémon in sight.

"Let's go," Pichu says to me.

We walk towards the graveyard, with Pichu continuing to erase our footprints. After a distance away though, we figure that it would be safe to stop doing that. Now, we just need to return to the Inn.

A few minutes passed, and we are back at the spot in the graveyard where we had our battle. I was about to ask Pichu which route we should take back to the Inn when he lets out a gasp. I can sense the immense fear that is suddenly emanating from his being. Quickly, I turn to him. "What is it, Pichu?"

He did not reply. He is staring transfixed at something – I follow his gaze and felt the toy gun slip off my paws as I, too, gasp.

A very familiar-looking trolley has been placed by the huge pile of earth, and I recognise it immediately as the one I have seen in the factory – except there is no container of Poffins above it. As if that alone is not eerie enough, I notice that the grave nearest to it has been filled, whereas all of them were uncovered earlier.

And at the very top of the grave, a rock rests silently on the freshly-turned soil.


	5. Hidden Waltz

_Whumpf._

From behind me!

I twirl around, all senses alert, spraying freshly-fallen snow everywhere. My face quickly switches to a determined, fierce expression, though inside my heart is hammering away – I hope no one sees the slight trembling that has nothing to do with the cold. My forepaws go to my muzzle in a fighting stance, ready to beat the living daylights out of –

- no one. No one.

No one?

No one at all – who, then, could have snuck up behind us and then left without eve-

Oh.

I blink once, twice, stare at Pichu, who had fainted and fallen backwards onto the snow.

"Pichu." I bend down, lifting up one of his oversized ears. "Piiiichu." No effect. Perfect; all I needed on my hands now was an unconscious mouse. "Wake up," I urge, slapping his face lightly.

And then, remembering our previous spar in the graveyard, I slap him a little less lightly.

It does the trick, though; Pichu blinks and murmurs and staggers to his feet.

"Uh?" He wonders blearily. "What?"

"What?" I hiss, dragging him close. "I'll tell you what – I had a fainted rodent on my paws, Navy-Blue's dead in that factory, Hitmonlee's after our blood and we can't find him, and _this grave_ _was empty this morning_."

Pichu takes one look at said grave and steps away, shuddering. The grave is filled, very not-empty-at-all, a rock placed mockingly on top of freshly-turned soil and snow – just like in Gardevoir's vision. Some distance away is a battered trolley we had seen earlier in the factory – in the same room which we knocked out Hitmonle-

Both of us freeze. Maybe – simultaneously, a single thought enters both our heads.

We had left Hitmonlee bleeding and out cold in the factory, hoping he would stay that way until we returned. We left, and encountered one problem after another – Navy-Blue was dead, the murderer invisible and undetected, and Hitmonlee gone, hiding somewhere, waiting to pounce on us.

Maybe Hitmonlee _isn't _hiding somewhere, waiting to kill us both. Maybe Hitmonlee isn't at the police, giving a detailed account of how I appeared to be the murderer of the group (and of Navy-Blue). Maybe – just maybe –

I turn to Pichu and I mouth _No._

I make a move, as if to go. I reach for Pichu's gun, but suddenly, a paw lands heavily on my shoulder. Wincing from the sharpness and the coldness of the touch, I turn around. "What?"

"Y'know…" breaths Pichu, "maybe we should – you know – check."

A pause.

"Check." I say the word slowly, not quite fully daring to believe what he had just said.

"Check. Check the grave. We could be jumping to conclusions too soon."

"Alright, Pichu, the cold's finally gone to your head and made mush out of what once was your brain. Might I remind you that there's a dead officer in the factory, and we're the only ones with a gun?"

"It's a toy, remember," Pichu argues. "Look, I'm every bit as scared as you, but I really, _really_ want to know."

I sigh exasperatedly. "Look, every minute we spend here, we increase the risk of being caught. Who knows, Navy-Blue might have already called for backup! Do you _really_ want to spend the rest of your short little life living on mouldy bread and stale water?"

"Which is why we have to dig up the grave as quickly as possible."

I stare at him, his face intently scrutinizing mine. Where did the cowardly Pichu I know so well go? Ever since the murders, a lot had changed in the little rodent. I had expected him to want out, as quickly as possible; like that day we went to explore the cliff.

…but now, he's starting to call the shots. He's starting to become a little bolder. I can still taste the fear coming out from him, but mixed with a slight tinge of exhilaration. At a different time, I might have felt kind-of-proud, but right now all I can think of is how this is inching us closer to getting caught by Navy-Blue's cronies.

"Alright." I breathe out, a long sigh, watching my breath make swirls in the air and die away. "Just make it fast."

Despite everything, Pichu grins darkly. "Alright then."

Silently, we scratch away at the earth. It comes away very easily – too easily – and soon Pichu and I are throwing up heaps of soil and snow. Very soon, however, my paws become tired and aching, and pretty soon they're practically screaming for relief. Panting with the effort, I pause for a while, forepaw to my heaving chest.

"Strange." Pichu comments between digging. "Thought you were stronger than that, Riolu."

I jerkily wave a paw at him, too concerned with catching my breath to make a witty comeback.

"The old you could have done this, no problem."

I turn to glare at him. He doesn't respond, but continues his silent digging, occasionally glancing back at me with one eye. In the perpetual winter of Snowpoint, the dark falls fast, and shadows are already starting to creep up Pichu's face.

_It's dusk already?_ I wonder. Only a few hours ago we were sitting in the Inn, eating breakfast. Now, we're suspects on the run, and Hitmonlee –

Gritting my teeth, I double back and scratch away on all fours, suddenly very aware of Pichu's suspicious glances over my shoulder. Faster and faster, till it was a continuous shower of grit and dirtied slush. I hear Pichu's breath beside me – he's tiring out too, the hypocrite – and my own ragged breaths – and then suddenly –

"YYYyyyeeeesh – " I reel back, clutching my paw, biting back a bark of pain.

While I painfully pull a splinter out from my throbbing paw, Pichu examines the spot where my paw once was. Dusk was advancing in all earnestness, and I could barely see his expression past the veil of increasing darkness, much less what I had just hit.

"Can't see a thing…" he muses, then –

Pichu squeezes his eyes shut in full concentration, to the point of burying his head in his paws. I look at him, slightly amused, and also even more thankful that no one's around to see us digging up the grave (let alone standing around in awkward positions). A few seconds pass, which is enough for me to go "You know, Pichu, if you really need the washroom –"

_Crkkzzz – _

Some short-lived sparks crackle from Pichu's cheeks, throwing a smoky light around us and pushing back the approaching darkness. Gradually, they become a soft glow from his cheeks, intermittently sending small sparks flying in my direction with a soft zinging sound. He smirks. I don't bother to return the gesture, but stare ahead at the grave. His arrogant look melted away as he, too, looks into our newly-dug hole.

A square of familiar wood stares right back at us.

"What, scared?" I whisper.

_CRKKK CRKZ –_

"No." The sparks intensify.

"Good. I think," I add under my breath.

We continue digging around the container, carefully moving around the now-open grave. As soon as we unearth the four corners, we pause, our breath coming thick and fast, oddly loud in the silence of the night.

"So, uh," Pichu begins.

I scratch my head awkwardly, hindpaw tracing a circle in the snow behind me.

"Do we lift it up?" he offers helpfully.

"It was your idea," I reply. "But if you wake me up in the middle of the night with your nightmares, I swear I'll kill you in your sleep."

Pichu laughs mirthlessly.

We grip the edges of the box, struggling to search for the locking mechanism. My tiredness comes back to me in a rush, causing my knees to tremble and threaten to buckle. I grit my teeth, feeling Pichu's glare, and force my weakening paws to continue grappling with the lid.

Out of my field of vision, I hear a triumphant grunt from Pichu.

"Got it."

_Click._

The container unlocks, Pichu involuntarily shoving the lid upwards with his body weight. There was an ominous moan and a whiff of long-rotten Poffins as the container yawned open. Both of us are forced to dance along the grave's edge, desperately holding on to the lid, trying not to fall in. Instinctively, I turn my head away, burying my snout and eyes in my paws.

An inarticulate, muffled scream from Pichu, and the dim light gives an agonized whine and fizzles out in a shower of sparks.

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**Chapter Five: Hidden Waltz**

"_Step by step, beat by beat / dance, dance your invisible dance"_

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I stifle back a yelp as the weight on my paws double. Pichu had staggered away, leaving me to hold up the heavy lid by myself. I curse inwardly as I struggle to hold the lid overhead, feeling my already weak paws giving way.

"Pichu!" I hiss.

The rodent spins off into the darkness, yammering gibberish and half-gargled whimpers. I don't think I'm going to get any help from him tonight –

With the last of my strength I heave the lid back on the container, barely avoiding slipping in and falling in myself. The coffin booms shut, sealing the body of Hitmonlee within.

Reeling backwards, I glimpse the shadow of the disappearing Pokémon on my left and the dull glimmer of the gun on my right. Feeling exhaustion creep up on me, I curse inwardly and stumble to my side.

I swipe the gun from off the ground and turn to start running after Pichu, a combination of fatigue and dizziness sending me spiraling left and right in my pathetic attempt to walk in a straight line. _Wait up, you idiot,_ I plead inwardly.

Both of us begin a mad half-run, half-drunken totter across the silent town. No shouts, no screams, just a mindless dash to nowhere. The silence was only broken by the crunches of snow beneath paws and our heaving breaths, the two of us leaving a path from of vapour from our gasps.

"Pi - chu," I gasp, as soon as I catch my breath and catch up to him. By now, his adrenalin rush has run out, and just as I approach him, he collapses on all fours, breathing hard. His heavy breaths are punctuated by loud, dry coughs that sound oddly loud in the night.

"Where – in this Arceus-forsaken place – are we?" he asks tiredly.

"How would I know?" I shoot back hotly. "I was following you all the time – after you _left me alone in the cemetery_!"

Silence from Pichu, just the sound of his breathing slowly but surely returning to normal.

We study our surroundings, trying to piece together some idea of our location. The answer was quite obvious, as the weak moonlight winked at us across a large area of water. Or was it ice? I move forward, right towards the edge where the land disappears into a mirror.

Lake Acuity.

_We ran all the way to the lake?_ I wonder.

Pichu pants "Seems like it," and flops down into a sitting position.

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"So, who do you think did it?"

The question out of nowhere shocks me. Pichu glances at me sideways, face unreadable in the dark night. We are currently plodding along in the snow, trying to find some shelter for the night, and we are no closer to it than we were ten minutes ago.

"Me?" I murmur. Honestly, I've given the question a lot of thought the past couple of nights. Who could I say the most likely suspect was? Snowpoint appears to be the perfect getaway from all the city hullabaloo, but it seems even the specter of murder takes his vacation in this sleepy town in the middle of absolutely-bloody-nowhere.

"I dunno." Mumbling, I choose my words carefully, circling my paw in the air in a _wait-I'm-thinking_ gesture. "Hitmonlee, maybe?" I shrug. "Isn't he the one we voted 'most likely to commit multiple murders'? But ever since tonight, I've found a little bit of a problem in that theory."

"Mmm." Pichu nods thoughtfully.

I rack my brains a little more. "You know, that Pokémon in the Center… he gave me the creeps."

Pichu tilts his head to the side. "In the Center? Aren't you letting your Center-phobia get to you?"

"No, no," I shake my head once, feeling my sensors bounce tiredly. "There was this Mightyena in the Center. Did you see his grin?" Thinking back to the awkward encounter in the Center made a little shiver run through me. "All that teeth, I swear, his aura felt a little off – "

"Aura!" Pichu suddenly blinked awake. "Can you use Aura yet?"

I remember his great experiment, trying to see whether I could mind-read or transmit thoughts. Despite myself, I let loose a soft chuckle. "Look, Pichu, if I could, I would have mind-wiped Navy-Blue while I had the chance."

Pichu _hmm_s. I shoot him a stare.

"You know what? I take that back – I'd scramble _your_ brain first."

"Hah." Pichu glances downwards, and we resume our silent trek. _Mushmushmush _went the snow as we tiredly plowed through it like a very inefficient half-mile-an-hour lawnmower.

"You aren't gonna ask me about my thoughts?" Pichu's voice breaks the silence.

I blink. "You can think?"

I admit, I wasn't aware Pichu could have had such complex thoughts, but then again, my theories have been proven wrong a couple of times already. I knew that Pichu was having one of those grins on his faces, the ones before he announced his stupid theory of the day. Shrugging, I decide to let him speak, if only for some comic relief. Arceus knows I need to laugh right now.

"Alright, I give up. What's your big theory?"

_Heh heh._ Pichu snickers deviously. It's insanely creepy, hearing the sound coming from nowhere in the middle of the night. I half-expect a relatively sound theory now.

"Gardevoir."

I stop dead, and Pichu shuffles his snout into my back.

"Hoi! Don't stop like that."

"Don't make stupid theories like that!" I round on him. "Have you gone completely nuts? This is even worse than all your other theories." I emphasize the point by jabbing a finger into his chest, only to miss and poke his eye. "Combined."

"Look, look, I know it sounds incredible…" Pichu tries his best to calm me down while fending off more eye-related attacks, "but don't you think Gardevoir has been behaving rather odd lately?"

"Definitely. Because, you know, her lover was found dead at the bottom of a cliff."

"Don't you find it odd that they never found any scratches on Gallade? There was no physical contact whatsoever. And I can't exactly imagine Gallade jumping off a cliff himself."

"Yes. In fact, I remember telling you that. So?" I raise my eyebrow (if I have one). I think I see where this is going...

"There's only one Pokémon who can get close enough to Gallade to lure him to the cliff, and only one Pokémon who doesn't rely completely on physical attacks." Pichu joins imaginary dots in the air. "Gardevoir."

I sigh. "Good idea, Pichu: you've got the _who_ and the _what_, but do enlighten me _why_ Gardevoir would kill her own lover? You know, I was half-expecting you to have a good idea. Are you saying that she killed everyone else, too?"

"Didn't she seem too... enthusiastic in tackling Hitmonlee? You were there, you saw the sparks fly. If Magneton didn't step in when he did Hitmonlee and Gardevoir would have literally killed each other."

I sigh, slapping a paw to my forehead and dragging it slowly down my muzzle. "Once again, Pichu, I might remind you that this concerned her lover, and as far as emotions are concerned, just about anything could happen. _You_'d go berserk if it was your loved one lying face-down in the snow."

"Hmph." Pichu folds his arms with an air of a stubborn child. "I'm not buying that; doesn't seem likely that anyone would do that kind of thing."

"Ah, Pichu," I clasp my paws to my heart exaggeratedly. "You have never loved."

"Neither have you," he shoots back, then a sly grin slowly spreads itself across his face. "Unless you count your bunny friend…"

I wince. Touché. "No. Now do carry on with your very interesting theory."

Pichu gives a little snort of triumph and a look that seems to say: _now, listen_. "Out of all of us, Gardevoir was probably the one closest to the Trainer: and yet she didn't seem too upset about it… She even went out for a romantic stroll with Gallade after that."

I think back; it was true, even if it seemed more likely that Gallade was the one who made the suggestion first. Pichu and I had tried to sneak up on the lovers' conversation, only to be, ah, discovered by Gallade, no thanks in particular to a too-loud rodent. Meanwhile, in real life, the too-loud rodent continues:

"Hence, either herself or her loverboy must have done the deed, so – "

"Hold it," I pause, "so maybe she killed the Trainer, but she killed Gallade too? Pichu, wake up and smell the roses."

"There aren't any roses, stupid," Pichu argues, the figure of speech flying over his head and hitting an unfortunate bird passing by, "But anyway, my point is that maybe, just maybe, she didn't kill Gallade."

"No? But you were just saying how she could have k-"

"I said she _might_ have killed Gallade – and if she did, it's still very possible," argues the little rodent. "But I believe she didn't kill Gallade, someone else did. It could have been Magneton, or Hitmonlee, or it might actually have been an accident. Remember that there weren't any signs of a physical struggle."

"But in any case, she went on a rampage, killing Magneton and Hitmonlee who she thought were the murderers," I finish Pichu's train of thought for him, trailing off into silence. Strange, could the mouse have actually come up with a workable theory this time round? What happened to the Pichu I used to know and love to prank?

I glance back at him. "But why should she frame us?

The rodent shrugs. "Dunno. Maybe she wants us gone too. Or we were just unlucky enough to be in the way."

I point out a large tree that could possibly be used for shelter, and Pichu – not wanting to be completely at the mercy of Snowpoint's bizarre and unnecessarily cruel weather – gladly agreed.

"Anyway," he continues, three _mushmushmush _shuffles later, "it's creepy how the evidence piles up. Heavy metal beams that are too hard to lift? No other footprints other than our own around the factory where Hitmonlee died? And a floating, Psychic suspect?"

"Hold that thought," I bring up a paw to halt him. "How do you think she actually killed Magneton and Hitmonlee? The trainer was obvious: 'Gardevoir, in the Bedroom, with a knife', but those two aren't explained so easily."

Pichu shudders: from the wind or from memory I do not know.

"Do you remember Magneton?"

_Hitmonlee and me picking our way through wreckage that resembled a metal scrapyard left to rust and die. Crushed steel on steel. A beam must have toppled straight through his Magnemite-components, splitting the metal monster cleanly into two. Or three. Split and smashed without even allowing instinct to kick in. We had arranged him as neatly – as dignified as you can arrange blasted pieces of metal that used to be alive – on the Inn floor._

_Only his eyes were the same as they were in life._

_Staring. Forever drilling straight into you._

_Except this time when the pieces were moved, they rolled in their sockets. All three eyes ended up fixing Gardevoir with their stony, monotone, dead glare._

I shall forever remember the look on Hitmonlee's face when he first pulled a sixth of his Teammate out from the wreckage. It wasn't morbid curiosity; it wasn't the snarky undercurrent he had when he pretended to be serious in front of the Trainer.

It was something that I had not seen, a new emotion flickered across his face. He tried to quash it under his half-hearted attempts to put on a brace face, but I saw it for what it really was. It was truly a rare creature that invaded Hitmonlee's mind that day.

It was fear.

Involuntarily, I shudder too. "Yeah. That kind of death? How do you think Gardevoir, who had her hair fried by a single Zap Cannon, could have killed Magneton?"

Pichu's voice is dark. "Have you seen a TM Shop around?"

I pause. "Yeaaaahh, there was one in town. We went there together, didn't we?"

He nods. "And there's powerful TMs in there, right?"

I nod slowly, seeing where his train of thought is going. "But wait, hold it, hold it – even if Gardevoir really wanted to learn a TM, how would she get it? We Pokémon have no money, it's not like she could just – what, – walk right in and – "

" – and steal it," completes Pichu. "Remember the Earthquakes you felt? Or what kind of attacks could have brought down the steel poles? Giga Impact, that's what – or Earthquake, I dunno, it doesn't really matter which she stole. Brought down the poles like toy blocks."

"But – "

"Before you say anything, Riolu," Pichu interrupts, bringing his voice down to a dark whisper, "remember what Gardevoir's been telling you? About her… visions?"

I nod slowly. I had been idiot enough to share some with Pichu, and now I'm starting to regret it.

"What if –" Pichu continues, "in her visions she sees the murderer? She sees the murders taking place, how they take place, how they could be concealed? She might have seen our deaths, Riolu! And what if she sees that the murderer – is herself?"

"Pichu, don't be an idiot," I plead with him. "Gardevoir isn't going to snap simply because she had a dream of herself hacking your head off. In fact, I have those sort of dreams myself, if you must know – I've killed Gallade and Hitmonlee in a variety of gruesome ways and I admit that I enjoyed myself immensely."

"Seriously, Riolu," Pichu's tone takes on the desperate tinge that stops my jokes dead. "What if that's really the case? And after the fight with Hitmonlee, she just might want to make those things become reality. You know how you can't tell a dream from reality when you just wake up, no matter how ridiculous or frightening that dream is? That's why we're scared even after we wake up, that's why we huddle up and shine lights around to tell ourselves we're back in good old solid reality. Who knows what those vivid Psychic visions are like?"

"_Did the vision take place in the night or day?"_

_"Oh." She closes her eyes as she seemingly tries her hardest to recall. "I… I don't know…"_

_My eyes narrow slightly at her words. "Couldn't you see if it was dark or light in your vision?"_

_"You've never had these visions – you wouldn't understand," she retorts._

Observing my stunned silence, the mouse goes on. "I don't even think I need to tell you how plausible it is that Hitmonlee could have been done in by her…"

I nod, Pichu's line of logic clear in my head.

_Gardevoir, floating over the white snow, drifting into the factory like a ghost. It would be the simplest of tricks to camouflage herself amongst all the machinery and rubbish in that factory, after all, we had did it, didn't we? The loud crashes and shouts that came from our fights and flights probably only helped her to locate us – or more specifically, a bleeding, unconscious Hitmonlee or a surprised Navy-Blue…_

_The body of Navy-Blue was left on the ground. The body of Hitmonlee, however, would be placed into the container on the trolley, pushed out – that would explain the trolley tracks – all the way to the graveyard._

_Psychic attacks. We saw their devastating power on the snowy field over Gallade's body – this was power; not attacks used for mere battling or proving one's strength, but fuelled by something deeper, darker, and more powerful. It would have been so easy to throttle an unsuspecting, unconscious Pokemon, or even –_

_It would have been absurdly simple to just bundle __the knocked-out Pokémon into the waiting trolley and ship it over to the graveyard, just like a ready-made coffin. Gardevoir wouldn't even have had to lift a finger; the unfortunate victim would have suffocated to death in a Poffin-container._

...which would make us accomplices, since we were the ones who knocked Hitmonlee out in the first place. Pichu seems to realize this at the same time as me, shooting me with a gaze that veered between _frightened_ and _terrified_. I wonder if he imagined Hitmonlee's blood on his hands, and couldn't help wonder at how happy we were, grinning and patting each other on the back when we knocked that big bully out cold.

Navy-Blue wasn't even a consideration. If she could have killed her powerful Pokémon nemesis in cold blood, an overweight human police officer that should have long given up the security business and gone into the doughnut industry should not have been a threat to her at all. I wouldn't care to think about how bloodlust would get to one's head – even if she didn't _need_ to kill him, there's no saying that she _didn't._

The chain of possible and impossible events swirl about in my mind, causing me to screw my eyes tight and clutch my head. "Unbelieveable…"

"Suit yourself, if you want to argue with the facts."

"Okay, okay, okay," I throw up my paws in defeat. "So you're right. So what? Everyone else has bit it, Gardevoir's snapped, and might be coming after us next. What do we do now?"

My companion's response was nothing short of illuminating.

"…nothing."

"…nothing?" I echo, incredulous. After all that he had said (and it's starting to make some sense, too) this response was the last thing I had expected to hear. Then again, I hadn't expected to hear this at all…

"Look, pal, I've gotten a little bit of respect for this – this crazy idea of yours, because it's actually believab-." I check myself. "Slightly believable. Very slightly." I place a paw on his shoulder, and am surprised at how suddenly icy cold he is. "So don't destroy that respect by suggesting our best course of action is to lie down and wait to die."

But by now Pichu's gone a little overboard, his ideas chaining together in his head, whispering and mumbling to himself and shrugging off my grip. "Butterfrees in a net… stumbled into it ourselves, and before you know it, _wham!_" He pounds his fist into a palm, and turns to me abruptly. "We'll be pretty trophies for her growing collection soon enough."

"Stop right there," I halt him. "There's a couple of flaws with your Theory of the Day. One," I say, counting off my paw, "…you're not pretty. Two, you're not much of a trophy, either, I'm afraid. Three, I – "

"Riolu, _this is serious_!" There's something in his whine that makes me stop dead for a moment and stare at him. Pichu is fixing me with a look that I have never seen from him, a kind of determined and pleading glare that looked eerily out of place on his features.

"We're trapped, right where she wants us. We've no one to run to, no place to hide, nothing to eat, and – and – " As if on cue, the hunger pangs strike up a new fervent drumbeat in my empty belly. I realize that I haven't eaten since – since…

"A-and then we'll go to her, 'cause she's the only living soul we know here," Pichu continues, breathless.

"…and then?" I prompt after a couple of seconds of silence. "And then what?"

Pichu attempts to find words but fails, settling for a resigned shrug. "And then whatever she wants, I suppose," and an icy wave of fear dances across the crisp winter air. We become silent for a while, the _crunch-crunch_ of our footsteps surprisingly loud in the night.

The snow continues to fall.

"…come on, you're imagining wayyy too much, pal," I finally say, gently. "C'mon, let's go." My paw on his shoulder, I slowly guide him out of the snow. He doesn't resist, but shuffles shivering, sniffing, but not from the cold.

We're shuffling towards a large, blackened tree. Dusk had fallen quickly, leaving us with precious little time to find suitable shelter if we didn't particularly want to freeze to death. The tree is partially hollow, with a hole smashed into its side, revealing a surprisingly big area inside that must have once been a birdnest. To the two of us – desperate, depressed and cold – it looks like heaven on earth.

We quickly clamber into the abandoned hollow, just as the snow and the wind kick up a tantrum outside. I shake off the flecks of ice that had caught onto my fur, and place the gun by my side. Too fatigued to even look around for any hungry predators that might have been lurking in the shadows, we collapse into a sitting positions, inching away from the biting wind that blows into our newfound shelter. For a time, no one says anything, both of us opting to listen to our breathing blend into the whistling of the wind outside.

"Riolu?" Pichu's voice is muffled.

"Mm?"

"I don't wanna die."

"…mm. Me neither. Look, just keep moving on, before you catch your death of cold and exhaustion, okay?" I gently pat his paw. "We'll think of something tomorrow, I promise. It'll be all better in the morning."

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I blink.

Sunlight filters down from above the branches, leaving splotches of brightness on the ground. A gentle wind rustles through the crisp morning air, twisting its way into my little hollow, feeling surprisingly good against my dirtied fur. I realize that I haven't washed since who-knows-when, and guiltily rub the back of my head. Ahh, that's the spot.

I breathe in deep. The cold air fills my lungs and wakes me up fully. Another day, another sunrise.

I stretch, feeling my bones and joints creak and pop a little. It occurs to me that Pichu and I have slept the last night in a tree – holed up like some sort of mere animal. I shake my head. It might be fine for the birds, but for me this delightfully splintery hole just can't beat the Inn's beds.

Hm. For once, humans 1, nature 0.

"C'mon, Pichu, we gotta get moving," I call out.

_Moving where?_ I wonder again.

The serene environment doesn't seem so serene after all.

"Pichu!" I call out impatiently. He's nowhere to be found – he isn't where he was sleeping the night before, he wasn't anywhere in the branches – the twit has probably gone to the police station to make a full confession, the idiot.

And I was the bigger idiot if I was just going to sit there and wait for the search-and-arrest party to arrive and promise me kibbles. _Come here, little Riolu, the nice uncle's just gonna give you a ride around town in the police van._

Poking my head out of the hole, I peer around at the snowy environs. Reluctantly touching down, I shiver at the cold snow – it crunches delicately beneath my paw – and break into a run.

Two and a half _crunch_es later, I stop dead.

Beautiful crimson blossoms had spread around the base of the tree overnight, in irregular splashes. They stand out wonderfully against the bleakish dirty-white ground. In the middle of Snowpoint's endless winter, the red flowers are a wondrous sight to see. Coupled with the refreshing breeze that's still nipping at my ears, it almost seems too good to be true.

Probably is.

'cause the rodent had to go spoil the pretty picture, what with lying in the middle of it all with his brains blown clean out of his head. The gun lies two paces away.

I breathe in deep and the metallic smell of blood rushes into my lungs.

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"Gardevoir!" I hiss.

The Psychic Pokémon doesn't hear me. She disappears from the window, seemingly pacing the room, lost in her own thoughts.

I curse under my breath. There's still the hole Magneton's final demolition exercise had left; and it's testament to the human builders' complete incompetence and laziness. The hole is larger than it was before, and it commands an excellent view of what used to be my room.

She reappears in the window a few seconds later, appearing to count on her fingers and murmur distractedly to herself. She stops suddenly, eyes shut and squeezing her temples, massaging them slowly with a curious expression on her face.

"_Look, look, I know it sounds incredible… but don't you think Gardevoir has been behaving rather odd lately?"_

"Gardevoir!"

I'm taking this stupid, stupid risk, coming back to the Inn like that. I don't know how much the police know about Navy-Blue, or about Pichu. Granted, the factory and the lake are very far from the city center, but that's only a vague comfort.

Calling Gardevoir looks like a last resort, doesn't it? It's a sobering thought to think that out of the six Pokémon that trouped into Snowpoint, only two are left alive. You might think it's the old sense of familiarity, trying to pick up the pieces, but at this point I really, really need to see Gardevoir.

But if anyone else sees me, I'm dead.

"_Gar-de-voir_!"

She jerks her head up, her concentration gone. She stares around the room, then outside, then – she spots me, and her eyes grow impossibly large. Gardevoir mouths my name, and bolts for the door.

A couple of seconds later, a perplexed Gardevoir stalks her way across the snowy lawn, stepping out daintily through the hole in the wall. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she gently nudged me to a corner, wary that no one saw the two of us together.

Wordlessly we dash around the corner, into a slightly more secluded area. The way Gardevoir is staring at me, I presume that word about Pichu's and my heroic exploits had made their way into the local press, or at least was told to the Innkeeper and Gardevoir. Who knows what they're spreading about us.

We duck behind a closed shop. The smell of yesterday's food attacks my snout, but I keep quiet. Gardevoir, however, doesn't.

"Riolu! What in the world – I – " she pauses for a moment, looking truly flustered for an instant. A second later, the calm mask is back on her face as she composes herself. "What have you done?"

"Why?" I enquire innocently. "What _have_ I done?"

Gardevoir sighs. "…nothing, really." She sits down on an upturned box nearby, obviously exhausted somehow, kneading her forehead with her paws. She suddenly seems to have aged significantly since the last time I've seen her.

I'm a little concerned now, not quite understanding what's going on. Was Pichu really correct, and is this some elaborate façade meant to throw me off? Or – or, given Pichu's long history of outrageous theories – is Gardevoir innocent, and am I doing something horribly, horribly wrong? I start to place my paw on her shoulder, then hesitate. She doesn't notice for a while, then eventually looks up and stares blankly at me.

"You shouldn't be here," she whispers in a tone of concern. "The Innkeeper's gone crazy after you guys failed to turn up for dinner last night, and she threatened – I was worried sick! Where were you guys? – she threatened to call the police and get them down to haul us back there for questioning, and –"

"Well…" I trace a circle in the snow with a hindpaw. "Things got complicated on my side, too."

"Complicated? As in?"

"…as in, complications occurred."

"What – _kind_ – of complications?"

"…uh, complicated ones."

"No, Riolu, I – look at – no, Riolu, look at me. Look at me." Gardevoir holds my face with a grip gentle enough to be an ally and yet strong enough to stop me from looking elsewhere. She forces me to look straight into her eyes.

"…what happened? And where's Pichu?"

I breathe in deeply, and slowly clap my paws to Gardevoirs, pulling them away slowly. I feel her pressure slackening, then releasing as her paws slip off my fur. This time, without her telling me to, I fix her with a gaze to rival her own, till I detect the scent of anxiety clearly emanating from her.

"Pichu's dead, Gardevoir."

The revelation is met by stony silence.

"_But why should she frame us?" Pichu shrugs his nonchalant shrug, oddly out of place, I remember thinking, on such a matter like this. "Dunno. Maybe she wants us gone too. Or we were just unlucky enough to be in the way." _

"Aren't you going to kill me now?" After a couple of seconds worth of silence, I figure this is as good a way to break it as possible.

"What?" Gardevoir suddenly flicks her head to me, and I must admit the effect is startling. Then, her features relax, the rigid, tense tone gradually replaced by one of dawning comprehension. "Ohh… you think – you actually think that – Pichu – _I _– _I _was the – "

"Ah, but you are, aren't you? You've been knocking us out like flies, haven't you?" I reply bitterly, right to her face. "Bet you're counting down. Four down, one more Riolu to go."

"Four? What happened to Hitmonlee?"

"Don't play anymore, Gardevoir," I whisper tiredly. Truth be told, I am exhausted. Even after the refreshing sleep in the hollow, somehow my mental limits are still at breaking point. I'd like for nothing more than to just fall back into the snow and stare at the sky; though if I did that now –

"You're crazy, Riolu…" she whispers back, equally tired. She's wearing a hurt expression, the _how-could-you-think-it-was-me_ card. Seeing it suddenly made me snap back into reality, out of my fatigue-induced haze of smoke and snow.

I blink, and suddenly the world seems a little more in focus. Shaking my head, I fix Gardevoir with a look, enough to make her feel nervous. "Maybe you should see it for yourself, hm?"

Ten seconds later we are running, helter-skelter through the deserted streets of Snowpoint, making our way back to the clearing where Pichu's taking his eternal morning nap. By Mew, I swear it's like no one's living here anymore; it's persistently quiet in the early morning. The eternal snow probably makes everyone want to sleep in late. Can hardly blame them; if I had my way I'd be snoozing in bed right now, under the warm covers, mm…

"Whaa – " A wrong step and a sideways stumble onto the pavement bring my wandering mind back to the situation at paw very, very quickly. Out of sheer instinct, I hit the ground rolling and get back up soon after, picking myself up and stagger-running forward with Gardevoir still following me. I hear her concerned shouts but ignore it, deciding to focus my energies on the road and the path I must take.

I glance behind. Her face still bears the look of shock, either from learning that Pichu's dead, or from me accusing her, or simply as part of an act – maybe all three. Wait, that doesn't make sense. Either she's guilty, or she's not – and we'll soon see in time.

And as I continue to glance behind, I notice that her feet are several inches off the ground.

"_It's creepy how the evidence piles up. Heavy metal beams that are too hard to lift? No other footprints around the factory? And a floating, Psychic suspect? We're trapped, right where she wants us. We've no one to run to, no place to hide, nothing to eat… and then we'll go to her, 'cause she's the only living soul we know here."_

We dash past abandoned shops – well, they look abandoned – down the snowy streets of Snowpoint, undoing all the distance I've done running from our hollow to the Inn, the entire way across town.

It hits me that I'm not going to have Pichu around to prank anymore. I almost miss the daily tricks I used to spring on him on every possible opportunity. Turns out that when I promised him everything was going to be okay, it would be fine in the morning – that was my last joke to him.

Instead of waiting for us to come to her, why not lead _her_ to us?

We stumble into the clearing, right on the other side of Snowpoint. Pichu's body's still there, thankfully – I'd imagine flocks of Pidgey or something – the gun still lying right by the side and the lovely red flowers a little duller, a little more dilute, but still no less red and no less _everywhere_.

"What – "

Gardevoir drifts across the scene like she was in a dream, eyes glassy and staring-but-not-looking at the remains of Pichu smeared across the snow. Her head twitches involuntarily to one side – a sign that she's consciously trying to look away – but like what I experienced the first few minutes, there's an uncontrollable, fantastic magnetism that holds your head there between its paws – just like Gardevoir – and keeps it there.

"That's the gun, I think," I pipe up. She gives a start, looks down – the magnetic connection broken for now – and stares at me as if she doesn't know what I'm saying. She slowly bends down as if to pick up the gun, then suddenly thinks better of it and resumes staring at it, as if hoping it would spontaneously burst into flames if she glared at it long enough.

The sound of footsteps reaches the clearing - Gardevoir whips around, snow billowing around her feet. I, however, am nowhere to be seen.

"Riolu? _Riolu_?"

The footsteps increase in their fever and frequency, until out of the clearing bursts what must be the remainder of the Snowpoint Police Force and a couple of half-trained Growlithe. Both Pokémon and handlers are panting heavily, mist clouds swirling at their gasps.

Pichu would have laughed – it seems like ice _really_ has gone to their brains.

But the handlers have their pistols out and the Growlithes are literally breathlessly pawing at the ground, waiting for the command to attack. In a short span of seconds, they've fanned out, surrounding Gardevoir in a yawning three-quarter circle of man, gun and Pokémon. Suddenly, the Snowpoint Police Force seem a whole lot more threatening than Navy-Blue was, back in that factory –

Gardevoir's looking around, frantically, either for me or for a road of escape. She can't see either, reason being _I_, being one with foresight, have long since scampered off to the relative safety of a tree beyond the police perimeter. Staying high up among the branches, the view I'm getting looks pretty much like the one I saw when Gallade took Gardevoir out for a romantic stroll.

…except, of course, there's no Gallade.

…and no romance. And a lot more police. And blood. And –

Okay, you know what? It's just the snow, I swear the snow makes everything look the same.

While I contemplate this from the safety of my tree, Gardevoir's being forced into a corner, yelling my name and getting growled at by two overeager Growlithes. I see her summoning up enough power to take out both of them, mentally calculating the time she would have before the police start firing. I nearly couldn't believe it; Gardevoir actually willing to fight? I suppose these were special circumstances, but still –

And while she's still thinking there was a blur of orange and blue and suddenly, before I even have time to blink Gardevoir's on the ground, being held fast by the couple of Growlithe while the police hurriedly train their guns in her general direction. Gardevoir yells, surprised, attempts to struggle to a sitting position, but the Growlith _grrr_ and bare their fangs at her neck.

I could see Gardevoir's torn expression – she could easily defeat the two out-of-shape Pokémon, and maybe even some of the men, but stopping a speeding bullet was never one of her specialties. For what it was worth, Psychic barriers at this level could only slow down things by so much and over so long a distance. A bullet fired at this distance would simply overpower the Psychic field.

The leader of the police group, another navy-blue wearing chap, advances forward, gun still pointing dead ahead.

I hear that's how they do it for dangerous Pokémon suspects, quite the change from dealing with humans. I suppose it's necessary precaution against beings who can conjure up fire or Psychic you till your brain bubbles out of your ears.

"You are hereby under arrest for one count of alleged murder," he intones. "You ha-"

He motions to his team, not taking his eyes off the Pokémon. "No point tellin' 'im the 'right to remain silent' jazz, right?" There's a slight pause as the other policemen exchange quick glances with each other. A mumbled chorus of "No", "Uhm, nope," and "I'm not really sure, actually" wafts around the clearing.

The leader sighs, wipes his forehead with the back of his free hand. He nods, a signal – a colleague comes in and handcuffs Gardevoir's wrists together with a sharp _click_.

"Look, I – you know what, let's jus' get 'im back to the station, we'll settle 'vrything else there. Go on already, git!" The last sentence is directed to the Growlithe escorts, who then roughly stands Gardevoir up, marching her off in the direction of a distant police van parked somewhere out of our lines of sight. If she moves a little slower, one of her escorts growl and nudge her a little, forcing her to pick up the pace.

As luck would have had it, they walk away from me, such that I only see their retreating backs. Gardevoir tears her head backwards, as if to scan the area for me, a look of utter bewilderment and anxiety etched on her face. She doesn't look back long, though; the Growlithe guards push her forwards and she stumbles, regains her footing, and disappears from sight behind the trees.

I stare at the retreating shadows, until the last navy-clad policeman is gone from sight. Only then do I climb down from my perch, still looking in the direction of their footprints while standing in knee-high snow.

_Huh_, I wonder to myself. _That was quick._

It seems so surreal: could it be that the Snowpoint nightmare was over? I shuffle forward a step or two, feeling the cold ice bite into my fur. No, it's real – it's real alright, and I've just seen the police handcuff Gardevoir and lead her away with my own eyes.

Quickly, quietly, I follow behind them, sure to keep my distance from the last policeman in the group, and making sure there's always a tree handy to dive behind. I trail them all the way to the edge of the clearing, where I'm just in time to see Gardevoir being pushed onto an intimidating-looking prison van as I peer out from behind a tree.

"…gratulations, I think we're gonna wrap up this case soon," one of the burly policemen chortles to their leader. He swings the back door of the van shut with a resounding _CLANG_, the noise vibrating in the air. Taking off his cap, he dabs a little at the perspiration that stars to form on his forehead.

"Mmhmm," the leader nods as they get on the van. "High time someone wrapped up this. Too many bloody murders already, what with th-" The sentence was cut off mid-way by the slam of the van doors, and the vehicle rumbled off on the narrow dirt road back towards the city.

I come out from my hiding place, still staring mutely at the disappearing van. Really? Could it be? Is this really the end of the case?

And was the mad killer who had led us a demented dance all around Snowpoint – was it really none other than –

Gardevoir?


End file.
